Social Justice in an Open World: The Role of the United Nations
societies during the past several decades, incorporating regional distinctions and other details where possible.
3.2.1 Rising inequality in the distribution of income Inequalities in income distribution have worsened in most countries during the past 20 to 30 years. Typically, the share of total national income accruing to households in the top income decile has increased, while the share of the bottom 10 per cent has decreased. Between those at each end of the scale-the richest 1 per cent and the poorest 1 per cent-the gaps have grown even wider. In a number of countries, particularly in Asia, the rise in income inequality has been accompanied by a reduction in extreme poverty as measured by the threshold of US$1 per day or by national poverty lines. However, it appears that in the majority of countries around the world, both income inequality and extreme poverty have increased, affecting larger numbers and proportions of the population. The current situation in various regions and country groupings may be summarized as follows: In Africa, poverty in the context of inadequate economic development is a dominant problem. Though data are scarce, income inequality appears to be significant and is becoming an issue of growing concern. Estimates put the Gini index at 44 per cent; the shares of total income for those in the highest and lowest income quintiles are 50 and 5 per cent respectively. Statistics indicate that about a quarter of Africa's residents are experiencing long-term poverty and that up to 60 per cent are extremely vulnerable and move in and out of extreme poverty. It should be noted that the incidence of poverty and levels of inequality vary widely among countries, and there are indications that negative trends are being reversed in some parts of the continent. In Asia, income inequality has grown very rapidly and dramatically in some countries, including China (whose Gini index is believed to have risen from 25 to 37.2 per cent between 1984 and 20001, and more slowly and steadily in other countries, notably Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. At the same time, overall standards of living have improved as a result of fast economic growth, and extreme poverty affects a smaller proportion of the region's population today than it did 10 or 20 years ago. The trend towards a reduction in extreme poverty, initiated several decades ago, was interrupted by the financial crisis of 1996/97 but has resumed in recent years. Lath America has traditionally experienced high levels of income inequality, as evidenced by the region's current Gini index of around 44 per cent. Inequalities have increased during the past several decades, particularly in Bra-