United Nations report warns of rising global inequality

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has released the ‘World Social Report 2026’, warning that rapid economic, digital, and energy transformations risk leaving billions of people behind. The report highlights significant gaps in access to jobs, skills, services, and social protections.

Key statistics from the report indicate that in 2025, 58 percent of workers globally were informally employed, and 26 percent of the population lacked internet access. Furthermore, income inequality rose in more than 50 countries between 2000 and 2024. The UN warns that unequal access to digital technologies and artificial intelligence skills could exacerbate existing disparities in education and economic opportunity.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that social inclusion is both a moral and economic necessity, noting that ‘transformations are inevitable. Inequality and exclusion are not.’ The report suggests that delaying investment in social protection by 10 years could cost countries 12 percent of their economic output. To mitigate these risks, the UN recommends building adaptive capacity, connecting populations to the new economy, and promoting shared prosperity through improved global governance.