In the past three decades Malawi has had varied inequality measures, with the
highest being a Gini Coefficient1
measure of 0.62, reflecting profound inequities
in access to assets, services and opportunities across the population. Supporting
the high levels of inequality are the alarming poverty levels in the country with
varied proportions; the highest in rural areas of the southernmost and northernmost
parts of the country. The central region is relatively less poor and so are the urban
areas. Income measures of poverty indicate that more than half of the population
(52 percent)2
lives below the poverty line and about one fifth (22 percent) is living
in ultra-poverty.3
This chapter looks at the structural causes of inequality in Malawi as well as
its economic and social aspects. It further contextualises inequality from the precolonial
era to the present, capturing the key role of the state in tackling related
issues and advancing the rights and welfare of the people.