Bridging Inequality: Social Inclusion and Poverty Alleviation in India and Brazil

In developing countries like India and Brazil, social exclusion prevents access to the political, economic and social aspects of life. There is a need to address the root causes of structural exclusion and discrimination to eliminate poverty and to support sustainable, inclusive growth. At this juncture, there is a need for social inclusion, which can support economic growth. Both India and Brazil have a record of suffering from economic, social, political and regional inequalities along the lines of race, sex, class, caste or regionally biased. This makes them unique case studies that help them understand different dimensions of inequality. The 2030 Agenda aspires to “leave no one behind†and to eradicate poverty by 2030. Both nations have implemented various social welfare schemes as emerging economies from the Global South, and their architecture of poverty reduction included alternative models to the Western models of poverty reduction. They emphasised the approaches that are based on participatory democracy. This is a unique feature that brings them together. Despite the challenges they faced in strengthening their democracy, they have strengthened democratic systems where social movements, actions of the judiciary and political advocacy give shape to the efforts of social inclusion by proving that democracy aims at addressing social inequality and establishing social inclusion.