2024-10-03 02:59:35
Colombia has positioned itself as the third country with the highest inequality index in the world, with a Gini coefficient of 54.8making it the first in Latin America. This alarming figure underscores the urgency of implementing effective measures that address economic disparities and promote a more equitable distribution of income and opportunities. According to a recent report by World Bankonly South Africa (63) and Namibia (59.1) surpass Colombia in this index.
The global ranking of income inequality includes countries such as Eswatini (54.6), Botswana (53.3), Zambia (51.5), Saint Lucia (51.2), Mozambique (50.5), Zimbabwe (50 .3) and the Republic of the Congo (48.9). At the continental level, Colombia leads the list with a significant difference compared to the second country with the greatest inequality, Belicewhich registered a coefficient of 53.3. Brazil, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Ecuador are also among the countries with high levels of inequality.
Read also: Colombia creates a new visa for Venezuelans in an irregular situation
He Gini coefficient It is a measure used to evaluate inequality in income distribution within a country, where 0 indicates perfect equality and 100 represents maximum inequality. Colombia’s high scores reflect deep disparities in wealth and access to economic opportunities. This situation is particularly worrying, since economic inequality can affect social cohesion and sustainable development, posing significant challenges for public policies and poverty reduction.
The president Gustavo Petro has expressed concern about Colombia’s position in the World Bank ranking. In a message on his X account, he stated: “This is the social inequality of the world. Look at where Colombia is and tell me if it is unfair for the super-rich to pay taxes. It is from this inequality that Colombia’s main problems arise: drug trafficking, violence and lack of democracy.”
You may be interested in: Huila, pioneer in the export of coffee free of deforestation
During a visit to the United Nations headquarters in New York in July, Petro addressed the challenges of implementing the historic Peace Agreement signed in 2016 with the extinct FARC, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions to inequality. In this context, he proposed the idea of a “multicolored democracy”which seeks to integrate all Colombian communities and guarantee that everyone has the same opportunities in society.