UN urges countries to raise social benefits and wages as inflation rises

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights stressed that countries must ensure that social benefits and wages increase as inflation rises, otherwise people may starve or freeze in the cold this winter.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that we will lose lives if governments do not raise benefits and wages in line with rising inflation,” said Olivier de Schutter.
“With regard to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is the most vulnerable groups that pay the price for global events,” he added. The combined crises are expected to push an additional 75 to 95 million people into extreme poverty this year alone.