Across regions of the world and within any country, economic activity and development are unevenly distributed. This means that people’s economic and social well-being can be determined by where they live.
Spatial inequality is a measure of the extent of inequality between countries in the world or between regions within a given country. Lowering spatial inequalities can reduce economic and social inequities, and ultimately lowering overall national inequalities. Understanding spatial inequalities can also help inform social policies meant to improve access to economic and social opportunities.
By using census and other survey and administrative data, ACEIR maps spatial poverty and inequality to generate a better understanding of the dynamics of this form of inequality – both within African countries but also between countries.
Projects and research studies
Spatial inequality and pandemics
While the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic made everyone feel very vulnerable, the pandemic has made visible the significant gaps between individuals in terms of exposure and in terms of the capacities to cope with such a major shock. Read more
Spatial inequality in sub-Saharan Africa
Spatial inequality is an important component of national inequality in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). But there is limited research on the levels and trends of spatial disparities in this region because of a lack of comparable data on income and consumption across countries. Read more