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2016 | Challenging Inequalities: Pathways to a Just World

2016Never before has inequality been so high on the agenda of policy-makers worldwide, or such a hot topic for social science research. More journal articles are being published on the topic of inequality and social justice today than ever before.

This Report draws on the insights of over 100 social scientists and other thought leaders from all over the world, across various disciplines, to emphasize transformative responses to inequality at all levels, from the grass roots to global governance. It concludes that:

• Unchecked inequality could jeopardize the sustainability of economies, societies and communities;

• Inequalities should not just be understood and tackled in terms of income and wealth. They involve economics, politics, social, cultural, environmental, spatial and knowledge-related issues;

• The links and intersections between inequalities need to be better understood to create fairer societies;

• A step change towards a research agenda that is interdisciplinary, multiscale and globally inclusive is needed to inform pathways toward greater equality.

In short, too many countries are investing too little in researching the long-term impact of inequality on the sustainability of their economies, societies and communities. Unless we address this urgently, inequalities will make the cross-cutting ambition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ‘leave no one behind’ by 2030 an empty slogan.

The World Social Science Report 2016 was prepared by the International Social Science Council (ISSC) and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), and is co-published with UNESCO.

The Report is available as an Open Access publication at:

www.worldsocialscience.orgen.unesco.org/wssr2016

#ChallengingInequalities

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Challenging Inequalities: Pathways to a Just World

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2016

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Increasing childhood equality in cities: a practical intervention through policy, research and advocacy Alberto Minujin

Part

IV

P O S T C A R D

All of us are different, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t all have the same opportunities. Amanda, 9 years old 1

By 2050, nine out of ten Latin Americans will live in cities characterized by increasing social inequalities, a deteriorating environment, and a growing number of people living in irregular settlements (UN-Habitat, 2012). Intra-urban inequalities are also growing. Three out of every four Latin American children are growing up in cities, but many lack access to the ‘urban advantage’. Almost three out of every ten Latin American children live in highly deprived households (Born and Manujin, 2015). Everything is available – just not for them.

Malnutrition in urban areas, and the number of children without birth registration, are both nearly three times greater for children from deprived households. Save the Children’s ninety-one-country Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) research shows inequality increasing in forty-five of those countries (2015).

In 2014 the Colombian government legislated to improve the situation of disadvantaged young children through a national programme called ‘From Zero to Forever’. In this context, Equity for Children, the Corona Foundation and Como Vamos conducted a research and advocacy project to increase early childhood well-being in Bogotá and six other Colombian cities, where 30 per cent of all Colombian children reside.

The project team analysed existing government data, augmented by qualitative information provided by NGO networks, to mobilize local authorities and civil society. Collaborators included leaders of municipal and local initiatives who are concerned with early childhood well-being, and stakeholders such as local

community groups, citizens, young people, policy-makers and government officials. Each believed that urban inequalities, which exist in situations where available resources exist for all, must be addressed and eliminated, especially in light of Colombia’s nationally legislated programme mandating resource distribution to all small children.

The project had a number of important findings. For instance, the under-5 mortality rate maps by locality in Bogotá and Medellín show that the probability of dying before the age of 5 is almost five times more in the most disadvantaged areas of Bogotá, and almost four times in Medellín, than in the least disadvantaged areas. In Cali, children from the county where the Embera Katio indigenous community live had a seventeen times greater chance of dying before the age of 5 than those in areas without an indigenous population.

Equally important was how the research process helped to generate awareness and action on inequality. The project also involved:

●● translating the evidence into simple, user-friendly social media materials and posting them online to promote information broadly

●● disseminating findings continuously to media and social networks and discussing them in the context of available policies for young children

●● working with local committees to develop action plans linked to national and municipal policies, such as prevention and protection, in areas with a high prevalence of adolescent mothers

●● promoting civil action committees in some deprived communities of Bogotá

72. Increasingchildhoodequalityincities:apracticalinterventionthroughpolicy,researchandadvocacy

Alberto Minujin

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PART IV • TRANSFORMATIVE KNOWLEDGE FOR A JUST WORLDWorld

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Report

●● creating a public debate with the mayoral candidates for the October 2015 election, recommending strategies for inequality reduction

●● monitoring progress annually in order to highlight previously invisible living situations for children.

The project team will replicate this action research approach in other Latin American cities, actively including the voice and participation of children and young people to resolve the inequities that affect them.

Notes

1. Pers. comm., June 2015.

Bibliography

Born, D. and Minujin, A. 2015. Inequalities on child well-being in Latin American cities in Ciudades Divididas, EDUNTREF, Argentina. www.equityforchildren.org/special-feature-urban-inequalities-in-childhood-and-adolescence/ (Accessed 16 June 2016.)

Minujin, A., Bagnoli, V., Osorio Mejía, A. and Aguado Quintero, L. 2014. Primera infancia cómo vamos: identificando desiguadades para impulsar la equidad en la infancia colombiana [How we are doing in early childhood: identifying inequities to promote equality

among Colombian children.] www.equidadparalainfancia.org/informe-colombia-como-vamos-en-primera-infancia/ (Accessed 16 June 2016.)

The Save the Children Fund. 2015. The Lottery of Birth: Giving all children an equal chance to survive. https://everyone.savethechildren.net/sites/everyone.savethechildren.net/files/library/STC_The_Lottery_of_Birth_Final-2b_0.pdf (Accessed 6 September 2016.)

UN-Habitat. 2012. State of Latin American and Caribbean Cities 2010: Towards a New Urban Transition. State of Cities Regional Report no. HS/064/12E. UN-Habitat. http://unhabitat.org/books/state-of-latin-american-and-caribbean-cities-2/ (Accessed 16 June 2016.)

●¢ Alberto Minujin (Argentina/USA) is professor at the New School University's Graduate Program of International Affairs in New York. He is executive director of Equity for Children/Equidad para la Infancia, a non-profit programme also housed in the Graduate Program in International Affairs. Minujin's research, teaching and advocacy are centred on improving the living conditions of poor, marginalized children; child poverty and social policy; and child rights. He teaches in Argentina at the Universidad Nacional Tres de Febrero (UNTREF) and before moving into higher education, spent 15 years as senior policy officer for UNICEF.

Figure 72.1 Under 5 mortality rate: local inequities

20

05

19

1101

04

03

0802

1009

07 1613

18

12

06

1415 17

La Candelaria (5.9)Bosa (6.3)Usme (6.7)

Best:

Worst: Sumapaz (27)

Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births)

Secretaría Distrital de Salud BogotáYear 2013

10.6 - 14.814.9 - 19.319.4 - 27.0

5.9 - 8.08.1 - 10.5

1 Usaquén 12.70

2 Chapinero 19.30

3 Santa Fe 14.30

4 San Cristóbal 13.10

5 Usme 6.70

6 Tunjuelito 7.50

7 Bosa 6.30

8 Kennedy 9.00

9 Fontibón 9.90

10 Engativá 10.50

11 Suba 9.60

12 Barrios Unidos

17.40

13 Teusaquillo 14.80

14 Los Mártires 14.10

15 Antonio Nariño

14.60

16 Puente Aranda

13.50

17 La Candelaria

5.90

18 Rafael Uribe Uribe

9.70

19 Ciudad Bolívar

8.00

20 Sumapaz 27.00

10.03Total Bogotá

Bogotá

7

14

9

8

5

3

16

4

6

11

15

10

13

12

12

Worst: Comuna 3 (15.84) Comuna 10 (13.32)

Best: Comuna 12 (4.85)

Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births)

Secretaría Distrital de Salud MedellínYear 2013

7.8 - 8.68.7 - 11.711.7 - 15.8

4.8 - 6.16.2 - 7.7

1 El Popular 11.39

2 Santa Cruz 10.473 Manrique 15.844 Aranjuez 11.735 Castilla 7.76

6 Doce de Octubre

10.38

7 Robledo 10.87

8 Villa Hermosa

10.95

9 Buenos Aires

8.63

10 La Candelaria

13.32

11 Laureles - Estadio

6.93

12 La América 4.8513 San Javier 11.0614 Poblado 6.1715 Guayabal 6.9516 Belén 7.29

10.63Total Medellín

Medellín

Source: Minujin et al. (2014).

This article features in the World Social Science Report 2016, UNESCO and the ISSC, Paris. Click here to access the complete Report.

SustainableDevelopmentGoals

United NationsEducational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization

WorldSocial

ScienceReport

2016 | Challenging Inequalities: Pathways to a Just World

2016Never before has inequality been so high on the agenda of policy-makers worldwide, or such a hot topic for social science research. More journal articles are being published on the topic of inequality and social justice today than ever before.

This Report draws on the insights of over 100 social scientists and other thought leaders from all over the world, across various disciplines, to emphasize transformative responses to inequality at all levels, from the grass roots to global governance. It concludes that:

• Unchecked inequality could jeopardize the sustainability of economies, societies and communities;

• Inequalities should not just be understood and tackled in terms of income and wealth. They involve economics, politics, social, cultural, environmental, spatial and knowledge-related issues;

• The links and intersections between inequalities need to be better understood to create fairer societies;

• A step change towards a research agenda that is interdisciplinary, multiscale and globally inclusive is needed to inform pathways toward greater equality.

In short, too many countries are investing too little in researching the long-term impact of inequality on the sustainability of their economies, societies and communities. Unless we address this urgently, inequalities will make the cross-cutting ambition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ‘leave no one behind’ by 2030 an empty slogan.

The World Social Science Report 2016 was prepared by the International Social Science Council (ISSC) and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), and is co-published with UNESCO.

The Report is available as an Open Access publication at:

www.worldsocialscience.orgen.unesco.org/wssr2016

#ChallengingInequalities

WorldSocial

ScienceReport

Social and HumanSciences Sector

United NationsEducational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization

Challenging Inequalities: Pathways to a Just World

World Social Science Report

2016

UNESCOPublishing

United NationsEducational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization

9 789231 001642