A Discourse on Inequality: Nation's Fiscal Policies and the Infringement of the Social Contract

During Equality Week on 15 August 2023, the University of Namibia (UNAM) School of Medicine hosted two key presentations addressing Namibia's socio-economic challenges.

1. Public Lecture by Dr Basilius Kasera
Dr Basilius Kasera, a UNAM lecturer, presented "Social Protection, Inequality, and Youth Unemployment in Namibia: Infringement of the Social Contract.
• Core Argument: He argued that the lack of adequate social protection directly fuels socio-economic inequality, which in turn drives high youth unemployment.
• Social Contract: Dr Kasera highlighted that the failure to address these issues constitutes an "infringement of the social contract," undermining young people's hope and the country's social stability.
• Governance Issues: The talk emphasised that mismanagement of public resources and a lack of accountability among political officeholders exacerbate these realities for the youth.
• Call to Action: He urged public honesty, integrity, and a moral obligation from both citizens and decision-makers to create a more just society where everyone can live with dignity.
2. Fiscal Incidence Analysis (FIA) by Mr Ian Houts
Mr Ian Houts, an economist with the Global Development Network (GDN), delivered a presentation on Fiscal Incidence Analysis (FIA) [Original Prompt].
• Methodology: FIA is a framework designed to assess how a nation's fiscal policies—specifically its taxation and public spending—impact income distribution and poverty levels [Original Prompt].
• Collaboration: This analysis is part of a broader effort by GDN and the Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Institute to implement these evaluative frameworks in various countries, including Namibia [Original Prompt].
• Purpose: The presentation aimed to provide a data-driven look at whether Namibia's current fiscal measures effectively reduce inequality or if they inadvertently widen the gap [Original Prompt].