Reducing Inequality: Inside Brazil's approach to a fairer taxation that shapes redistribution

In the second episode of Economies that work-for all, we are pleased to welcome Poliana Garcia Ferreira, General Coordinator of International Tax Cooperation in Brazil, for an in-depth conversation on poverty and extreme economic inequality in developing countries. Using Brazil as a case study, the episode explores how governments can leverage fiscal policy, progressive taxation, and targeted social spending to address entrenched poverty and reshape unequal economic structures. Framed within the broader field of social policy and the human rights economy, the discussion highlights how the strategic and intentional use of public finance tools can shift the status quo and expand access to economic opportunity. The conversation further examines why tax policy can no longer be treated as purely a national concern. In today’s globalized economy, multinational corporations and ultra-wealthy individuals pay way less taxes than they should, while the poorer are overburdened. As Ms. Garcia Ferreira emphasizes, transparent dialogue and coordinated cooperation — both domestically and internationally — are essential to building an intelligent and effective global tax architecture that strengthen human rights and support a life with dignity for all. If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check this link.