1. Developing measures for Oxfam South Africa:
inequality, inequity & vulnerability.
Tami McKenzie & Nicola Deghaye
Workshop with Oxfam partners: 15 November 2012

2. Introduction
Oxfam recognises inequality is at the heart of the
South African „development problem‟.
It is critical that Oxfam addresses inequality if
they are to achieve the development outcomes
needed to improve the lives of all people living
and working in South Africa.

3. Introduction
HEARD has produced 2 reports for Oxfam:
Phase 1 September 2012:
• propose an overarching definition of inequality
• outline the most common types of inequality
• propose some appropriate inequality measures to be used in
the Oxfam program in South Africa
Phase 2 November 2012:
• To describe the dimensions of inequality in health, gender
& livelihoods
• To propose a set of inequality indicators for health, gender
and livelihoods

4. Introduction
This work is intended to:
•Provide a context for the work Oxfam does.
•To provide a ‘big picture’ for what Oxfam is doing and the
possible impact its programme could have.
•To (possibly) assist Oxfam in high level advocacy work.
•NOT intended to be used to evaluate partners work.

5. Introduction
The aims for today:
• Different to what was advertised.
• Instead of presenting a set of indicators, we want to have a
broad discussion about inequality, inequity and vulnerability.
• Why?

6. Small group discussion 1
1. What is your understanding of the terms
inequality, inequity and vulnerability?
2. Which of these do you consider most
important for the organisation you work for and
why?
(20 min discussion, 10 min report back)

7. Definitions:
Inequality, inequity & vulnerability
Inequality:
• concerns multidimensional difference or disparity across a
population (e.g. In income or education)
Inequity:
• is concerned about whether the distribution (e.g. income or
education) is fair. Involves a value judgment.
Vulnerability:
• refers to the exposure and sensitivity to livelihood shocks
and indicates the likelihood of an adverse reaction to
various risks or to a disastrous event .

8. An example:
measuring inequality in health.
Inequality in life expectancy at birth:
• What are the differences in LE at birth
between:
• Richest 20% and poorest 20%.
• By gender
• By race
• By level of education attained
• By province or district?

9. An example (cont.): measuring inequity in
life expectancy at birth.
• Are the differences in LE at birth between
groups FAIR:
• Between the richest 20% and poorest 20%
• By gender
• By race
• By level of education attained
• By province or district?
• Or “are these differences unnecessary,
unavoidable, unfair”? (EQUINET, 1998)

10. Vulnerability and life expectancy at birth.
• Health and vulnerability are linked.
• Poor health and low life expectancy may cause
vulnerability.
• Vulnerability generally concerns access to
resources („the 5 capitals‟)
• Physical Capital
• Human Capital
• Social Capital
• Natural Capital
• Financial Capital

11. Small group discussion 2
(Building on the concept of vulnerability).
• Identify the characteristics of a person you consider vulnerable.
• Describe this person.
(10 mins)

12. Small group discussion 2
• Which groups of people do you work with and why?
• How does that match up with the person you just described as
vulnerable?
(10 min discussion)
Report back (10 min)

13. Conclusion
• Started by looking at inequality
• Realised that inequality and inequality measures
themselves may not be so useful.
• Within health inequity probably more relevant.
• Need to consider vulnerability.
• Your input from today‟s discussion, together with the
HEARD reports will determine the way forward for
Oxfam (in terms of identifying exactly what will be
measured and why).