Business rights and ethnic exclusion in sub-Saharan Africa: Addressing group-based inequality through business rights reform

Abstract

This study has been prepared within the UNU-WIDER project on 'The politics of group-based inequalities-measurement, implications, and possibilities for change', which is part of a larger research project on 'Disadvantaged groups and social mobility'.

Legal empowerment and group-based inequalilty

“…With respect to disadvantaged groups in particular, the broad camp is more associated with targeted and 'activist' efforts, including affirmative action (ADB 2009;Bruce et al 2007), and consideration of equality of outcomes, as well as of opportunity (Taylor 2016). Here too, the CLEP's report is inconsistent with too sharp distinctions, noting: 'Women, indigenous peoples, and vulnerable groups must be fully and fairly included in all phases of the legal-empowerment process.…”

“…Six studies form the core of this collection. 2 Four speak to key areas of legal empowerment highlighted by the CLEP-access to justice (Brinks 2016), property rights (Boone 2017), labour rights (Agarwala 2017), and business rights (Taylor 2016). The other two speak to legal identity (Hunter 2016) and legal empowerment in post-conflict situations (Waldorf 2017)-also key areas.…”