The concern with equity has emerged strongly in recent global debates on economic
progress. This has happened partly in recognition of the fact that in spite of great strides made
by the world in recent times in promoting growth of incomes and ensuring higher standards of
living across the globe (the setback caused by the recent financial crisis notwithstanding),
inequality between and within nations has not diminished. In fact it has increased in many parts
of the world, especially in the developed world and in parts of the developing world that have
been enjoying the most rapid pace of growth.
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In part, the increasing concern with equity has
also emerged in the context of discussion of the post-MDG agenda as many participants in
these discussions have noted with dismay that the original concern with equity as enshrined in
the Millennium Declaration has somehow got lost in the specificities of target-setting.
2A
vigorous advocacy campaign has been launched to introduce the goal of inequality reduction
as a core element of the post-MDG agenda.