Experts Call for Global Panel to Systematically Track and Tackle Inequality

In a detailed analysis, Imraan Valodia highlights that the richest 10% of adults capture more than half of global income while the poorest half receive just 8%, and that wealth concentration is even more extreme. He notes that existing evidence links inequality to poorer health, lower social mobility and slower growth, yet policy responses remain weak due to political resistance and scattered research. To bridge the science-policy gap, Valodia proposes an International Panel on Inequality (IPI) that would periodically review measurement methods, identify robust findings, and evaluate policy successes across nations.

The proposal emerged after a 2025 G20 expert committee report, and enjoys endorsements from President Cyril Ramaphosa, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the African Union and a large coalition of economists. The IPI would also address data inconsistencies, especially in wealth measurement, and examine how AI, climate change and geopolitical shifts affect inequality.