The case for equity

The September 20, 2005 — With graphic yet simple examples, a new World Bank report spells out how inequities start at birth and ultimately hamper.

The 2006 edition of the annual World Development Report opens by calling on people to consider two South African children born on the same day in the same year.
One is black, female and born to a poor family in a rural area, while the other is white, male and born to a wealth family in Cape Town.

One child has a 7.2 percent chance of dying in their first year – more than twice that of the other.

One can be expected to live until 68 – 18 years longer than the other. One is also likely to have 12 years of formal schooling…while the other will be lucky to have one full year in the classroom.
In each case, it’s the young black female child who’s the loser. a country’s development.

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