Fairer tax system could provide free universal public services - Oxfam
There is concern over rising inequality across the globe.
A new Oxfam report shows billionaires' wealth is growing by €2.2 billion per day, as half the world lives on €5 every day.
Last year the wealth of the world’s billionaires increased while the world's poorest got even poorer. Please share to demand governments #FightInequality and #BeatPoverty pic.twitter.com/tOwqOHLI6M
— Oxfam Ireland (@OxfamIreland) January 21, 2019
It is calling on the Government to end spiralling inequality by tackling tax avoidance and funding free universal public services.
Oxfam Ireland Chief Executive Jim Clarken says any progress made on narrowing the gap between rich and poor is being lost.
"Our report shows how decades of progress in reducing global poverty has disturbingly slowed – the rate of reduction has halved since 2013 – with extreme poverty actually increasing in sub-Saharan Africa," he said.
"This is a direct result of inequality – the human cost of which can no longer be ignored – and is largely seen in a lack of access to quality public services. Tomorrow, as the elite convene in Davos, 262 million children will not go to school and almost 10,000 people will die because they cannot access healthcare.
Tax avoidance by big businesses and wealthy individuals is depriving developing countries of $170billion every year.
"By eliminating tax avoidance and agreeing a new set of rules to make the global tax system fairer, governments, including the Irish Government, can ensure more money is spent on providing free universal public services that reduce inequality and enable people to thrive – and in many cases survive."
