Beirut, 29 December 2017 (Communication and Information Unit) -- United Nations Under-Secretary-General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Mohamed Ali Alhakim called for enhancing cooperation between the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission (LAEC), affiliated to the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS), in many projects “as we can benefit from the expertise of the Commission in the implementation of common mechanisms and programs related to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to the issues of climate change and their impact on nature and people.”

The present paper focuses on intersectionality and provides a rationale for its applicability to the Arab region. Its objective is to determine key elements and insights on how to operationalize the intersectionality approach in the development practice to better focus on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged suffering from multiple inequalities. This understanding aims to support gearing development efforts to advocate for and induce relevant changes in the legal frameworks, policies, strategies and programmes to reduce inequalities and accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

High poverty rates coupled with high concentration of wealth in the Arab region have highlighted the need for a stronger civic solidarity. We investigate the concentration of wealth across the Arab region and juxtapose it with the incidence of poverty. We assess the scope for fiscal redistribution from the wealthiest 10 percent to the poor.