Social disability and the public good

Seattle and Prague have made evident the divisions that have arisen over the current and future course of globalization. The majority of the world’s countries feel they are being treated unfairly in the global system by the rich nations. People outside the mainstream because of ethnicity, gender, religion and disability see themselves as the particular targets of disadvantage in economic globalization. And there are concerns over the failure of political leaders to address such critical issues as global poverty and a deteriorating environment. The widening gap and the imbalance between rich and poor that appears to be the legacy of economic globalization is considered by many to be both intolerable and unnecessary. Basic human rights such as food and nutrition, primary health care, drinking water, basic education, and shelter are not available to millions - including many in the high-income countries. The World Health Organization, in its most recent reports, has recognized the relationship between income disparities and health status. Their figures show significantly lower overall health status in countries with wider income discrepancies than in countries with more equalized income distribution.