     have the implication that people in the lower rungs of the socio-economy hierarchy are likely to struggle to rise. Inequality wastes talent, especially if certain social groups, including women, are excluded from top jobs or economic activity; Inequality undermines society and its institutions, particularly where elites ‗capture‘ governments and other institutions and use them to further their own interests, rather than the overall economic good; Inequality undermines social cohesion, with ‗vertical inequality‘ among individuals resulting in increases in crime, while ‗horizontal inequality‘ between different social groups in society increases the likelihood of conflict in society; Inequality limits the impact of economic growth on poverty, with the benefits of growth unevenly spread in society; and, Inequality transmits poverty from one generation to the next.‖339 So, having accepted that many Africans contend with structural limitations to their life chances, the CRRs also show that action is being taken to improve the situation. Broadly speaking, the dominant type of intervention might be termed poverty alleviation. This involves attempting to increase access to goods and services for those in need. Another aspect involves investment in the single most important tool of social mobility, i.e. education. Education can have a major impact on people‘s life opportunities. However, as has been pointed out previously, serious issues persist with respect to the suitability and marketability of education. And since a considerable lag may exist between completing studies and finding jobs that make use of graduate level qualifications, many graduates will be diverted into lowincome work in the informal sector to make ends meet. The issue, then, is not simply the level of education received but the type of education and the extent to which it can be put to use. The Zambia CRR focuses on the prevalence of ‗horizontal inequality‘. According to this Report, inequality is ―also high within and across the regions and between urban and rural areas.‖340 Likewise, the Ghana CRR notes that, ―Apart from the constraints of resources, illiteracy, inequality of access to development resources across gender, income and geographic lines pose a major challenge to the effort to accelerate socio economic development.‖341 And the Kenya CRR remarks: ―Income and social inequalities are pervasive, and access, or the lack thereof, to land, basic services and infrastructure reflects disparities between the rich and the poor.‖342 The Lesotho CRR links poverty and inequality to unemployment, noting that some people are able to take advantage of opportunities and wealth better than others.343 The Sierra Leone CRR draws attention to the importance of functioning land systems to give poor people access to this asset.344 The Burkina Faso CRR points to the basic structure of the economy and income generation, that is, the predominance of agriculture, and particularly low-value adding activity.345 The Ethiopia CRR notes inequalities in respect of access to education.346 The Mozambique CRR notes rising urbanisation coupled with a decline in manufacturing jobs – which is depriving the swelling urban population of opportunities for income and mobility.347 Each of these 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 Tanzania CRR, p. 221 (footnotes omitted). Zambia CRR, p. 37. Ghana CRR, p. 228. Kenya CRR, p. 54. Lesotho CRR, p. 189. Sierra Leone CRR, p. 316. Burkina Faso CRR, p. 310. Ethiopia CRR, p. 216. Mozambique CRR, p. 241. 63