Inequity, poverty and social exclusion

Inequity, poverty and social exclusion are closely related to job offers and education. Those countries which suddenly increase school dropouts have made the gap between rich and poor bigger. These situations tend to turn into huge political, economical and social crises. There are some countries, such as Spain, which have decreased unemployment and mitigated social exclusion; however recent contracts have brought in a new problem: poor people with jobs.

If we take a closer look at the situation, it’s possible to find two groups of people: those who are in the system, who have indefinite job contracts, government officials and pensioners; and those on the outside, who are temporary workers and those with low salaries. The first group is able to somewhat deal with their current crisis, while the second have little hope for improvement.

Poverty and social exclusion can incite serious social cohesive problems with devastating consequences for any country. Reducing social protection systems and exhausting family protection networks endanger the stability of a nation.

According to experts in the field, the most efficient way of dealing with poverty and decreasing the gap between rich and poor is by creating more employment opportunities, reinforcing social politics and improving education systems in order to prepare the youth for the future.

If we go back to Spain as an example, during the end of the 90s and early 2000s, hundreds of thousands of young men and women dropped out of school to get a job at a construction company or other industries because it was well-paid. Later on, when the crisis hit them, these youngsters were all past their thirties, unemployed and hadn’t learned any skills that could help them get another job. For the time being, these individuals are still being affected, and as long as the government doesn’t restructure the way things work, the gap will keep on growing despite these poor people having jobs.