摘要:South Asian countries, despite recent social and economic changes in the region, continue to be characterised by deep rooted social and economic inequalities. While there are significant intra-regional and intra-country variations in the above regard, poverty and inequalities continue to affect the life chances of millions of South Asians. Moreover, economic inequalities based on the distribution of income and other economic assets, manifested in diverse of deprivation, dissemination and marginalisation also characterise much of South Asia. Some of the long standing inequalities are intricately connected to caste, gender, ethnic and religious differences.