February 20 is World Day of Social Justice which marks the United Nations' commitment to guaranteeing fair outcomes for all through the eradication of poverty, the promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity, and access to social well-being and justice for all.

“Income inequality and lack of intergenerational mobility seem to go hand-in-hand,” writes Lorenzo Cappellari. “Promoting intergenerational mobility may make societies both more egalitarian and more efficient…Policies to counteract disparities in family background, such as education interventions for poor children, may foster intergenerational mobility.”

An obstacle for children from disadvantaged families is that they have lower levels of school readiness when they enter school than do children from more advantaged families. Many countries have tried to reduce this inequality through publicly provided preschool. “Good-quality preschool programs more than pay for themselves by boosting achievement and reducing inequality of achievement,” writes Jane Waldfogel. “That is good news, especially for countries with persistent and high levels of inequality—and a good reason to expand preschool programs in countries where enrollment is far from universal.”

Read further articles on economic inequality:

• The role of preschool in reducing inequality by Jane Waldfogel
• Intergenerational income persistence by Jo Blanden
• Income inequality and social origins by Lorenzo Cappellari

How much do you know about economic inequality? [Infographic]