Global Inequality

The richest 1 percent of the global population gained four-fifths of wealth created between mid-2016 and mid-2017, while the poorest half saw no increase in wealth.

Nigeria, Singapore and India are among countries fuelling the gap between the super-rich and poor, aid agency Oxfam said.

 Nigeria, where 10 percent of children die before their fifth birthday, came bottom due to "shamefully low" social spending, poor tax collection and rising labour rights violations, Oxfam said.

Singapore, one of the world's richest countries, came in the bottom 10, partly because of practices which facilitate tax dodging, Oxfam said. The city state, which has no universal minimum wage, also did poorly on labour rights.

Oxfam warned that world leaders risked failing on their pledge to reduce inequality by 2030.

"We see children dying from preventable diseases because of a lack of healthcare funding while rich corporations and individuals dodge billions of dollars in tax," Oxfam boss Winnie Byanyima said.

http://news.trust.org/item/20181008230110-wjbh3/