Global Scans · Reduced Inequalities · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.

• [New] Deepening global inequalities threaten peace, development, and human rights. OHCHR
• [New] DZD, which has threatened Cape Town, is a multifaceted crisis that disproportionately affects low-income communities and exacerbates socio-economic inequalities. Nature
• [New] If productivity gains accrue mainly to high-adoption regions and automation-ready sectors, global and regional inequalities could widen. Campus Technology
• Without systemic reforms, Iran's water crisis could hamper economic growth, intensify migration pressures and exacerbate regional inequalities. Newsweek
• Without explicit strategies for Universal Design for Learning, accessibility, and digital literacy, existing inequalities could deepen. AI Advisory Boards
• Like anywhere else, Australia has its challenges-environmental threats, social inequalities, and communities that need a little more support to thrive. Goodera
• Without a strong public investment push, India's economic growth will remain slow, and inequalities may worsen. 99Notes Best IAS Coaching Delhi
• A growing body of critical literature has highlighted the potential of UA to contribute to gentrification and displacement, to entrench social inequalities, and to reinforce neoliberal ideas regarding the responsibilities of individuals and the state. PubMed Central (PMC)
• New data from the UK Health Security Agency delves into the health inequalities caused by infectious diseases and environmental health hazards. Patient Information Forum
• Without targeted, proactive policymaking, AI could worsen global inequalities rather than reduce them. FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing
• Australia's inequalities are deeply rooted in its colonial history and persistent racism, which continue to shape access to education, wealth and opportunity. Blak and Black
• The Scottish Government is on a mission to build a better life for all its citizens by following a wellbeing framework that will help reduce inequalities and power a just transition to a green future. Sparx Publishing Group
• Productivity and Economic Transformation: AI is poised to reshape productivity and economic structures in Africa, with the potential to boost GDP by USD 2.9 trillion (CAD 4 trillion) by 2030, but it also risks deepening inequalities, displacing vulnerable workers and entrenching digital dependency. IDRC - International Development Research Centre
• The commercial space sector in its current form will only exacerbate inequalities on Earth, as profits from space ventures flow into the coffers of the already obscenely rich. MIT Technology Review
• If no action is taken on the current situation, the cost of treating various illnesses resulting from inequalities in obesity alone will rise from £2 billion per year to £5 billion per year in 2025. Pharmaphorum
• Climate change poses an urgent and imminent global threat to human health, increasing morbidity and mortality, straining health services worldwide, and exacerbating existing social inequalities. PubMed Central (PMC)
• Nigeria's leaders must choose decisively between reinforcing entrenched inequalities or taking the bold, necessary steps toward constructing a republic genuinely founded upon principles of justice, equity, dignity, and opportunity. Africa News Headlines & Top Stories Today
• In the Andean Latin America region, expand community prenatal services in underserved areas to address geographic inequalities, and strengthen nutrition programs, prioritizing iron supplementation and dietary support, given that iron deficiency is a major risk factor for MHD worldwide. BioMed Central
• Digital divides between technologically advanced and resource-limited institutions risk deepening inequalities within global higher education. International Higher Education
• Escalating global conflicts and crises continue to disproportionately affect women and girls, exacerbating inequalities and vulnerabilities. Newday Zimbabwe
• We have concerns that delayed access to obesity treatments in the NHS will lead to wider health inequalities - given obesity is more prevalent in more deprived communities. LBC

Last updated: 20 October 2025