Oxfam press Scottish Parliament to do more on extreme poverty
By News Scotland, , , ,

The Scottish Parliament can and must do more to challenge extreme economic inequality in order to reduce poverty in Scotland and around the world, according to a major new policy report by Oxfam Scotland.

The report, “Even It Up: Scotland’s Role in Tackling Poverty by Reducing Inequality at Home and Abroad“, is released ahead of the Scottish party conference season and just seven months before the Scottish election.

The report recommends a series of policy measures the Scottish Parliament can take to reduce poverty and inequality in Scotland, whilst also supporting sustainable development around the world.

It comes as new Oxfam calculations, contained within the report, show the richest four families in Scotland have more wealth than the poorest 20% of the population put together. Yet, nearly one-in-five people in Scotland live in poverty and scandalous numbers need emergency food support.

The report is part of Oxfam’s global campaign to challenge economic inequality, which is increasingly recognised to be at extreme levels and amid growing evidence this is undermining efforts to reduce poverty.

Nearly 800 million people go to bed hungry – yet on current trends, by 2016 just 1% of the world’s population will own more wealth than the other 99% put together. Progress has been made in reducing poverty worldwide, but the twin challenges of economic inequality and climate change threaten to undo this progress.

Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said:”In our rich country, we should all be impatient for faster progress. We shouldn’t live with poverty, in Scotland or anywhere else, and the Scottish Parliament has a duty to do all it can to end it.

“We are increasingly aware of the barrier that extreme economic inequality represents in tackling poverty. Yet poverty and inequality are not inevitable, they are the consequence of deliberate political and economic choices.

“The Scottish Parliament has a number of powers which it could use now to reduce inequality and poverty. The upcoming Scottish election also creates a significant opportunity for every political party to transparently commit themselves to creating a more equal Scotland within a more equal world.

“We recognise not all political power rests in Scotland but where the Scottish Parliament has power it should act boldly, and where it does not, it should be a strong and progressive advocate for change.”

Oxfam is calling on the Scottish Parliament to:

  • Establish a target for reducing economic inequality in Scotland, and create a new Inequality Commission to identify how devolved powers can be used to deliver it, with enhanced analysis.
  • Challenge power imbalances to ensure people in poverty have greater influence on decision-making.
  • Introduce and promote minimum standards for decent work, to ensure work is a route out of poverty.
  • Use all current and future devolved powers to ensure food insecurity falls year-on-year.

And to help reduce global poverty, Oxfam believes the Scottish Parliament must:

  • Ensure Scotland does not give to the world’s poorest people with one hand and take with the other by committing to a new ‘policy-coherent’ approach towards international development.
  • Restore the value of Scotland’s International Development Fund, which has reduced in real terms.
  • Ensure more predictable support for humanitarian response by creating an International Emergency Fund and by promoting Scotland as a ‘nation of sanctuary’ for refugees.
  • Deliver the Climate Change Act in full, and increase support to those affected by climate change now.
  • Create a more globally-aware population in Scotland by investing in Global Citizenship Education.

Livingstone added: “Oxfam’s vision is of a world without poverty. Significant progress has been made: in just 15 years, extreme global poverty has been halved. In 15 more, we can end it for good.

“The Scottish Parliament must play its part by enhancing our support to the world’s poorest people, whilst ensuring all of our activities support sustainable development which protects our planet.”