it also analyses the factors responsible for the widespread rise in inequality during the neoliberal reforms of in the fields of trade foreign direct investment fdi and capital flows and the rise in migration finally it compares the decline in inequality observed in most of latin america over with the steady increase of inequality in many european transition economies during this period despite their return to robust growth the paper argues that such divergence is explained by differences in policies prior to that he was the director of unuwider the views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the united nations secretariat the designations and terminology employed may not conform to united nations practice and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the organization