[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-109317-en":3,"doc-seo-109317-105":31,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":93},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":29,"read_time":30},109317,3848291630094,"Emma Wilson","https://eur-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45",8,"Research & Report","Inequality of Opportunity in Bulgaria - Policy Note","Using data from an EU-SILC module on intergenerational mobility, this policy note examines whether Bulgaria’s high income inequality stems from inequality of opportunity—differences driven by circumstances beyond individuals’ control. Results indicate that over half of Bulgaria’s income inequality is attributable to inequality of opportunity, the highest share in the European Union. Shapley decomposition shows parents’ education explains most of this inequality, with weak educational intergenerational mobility. The analysis highlights education-system reforms, early childhood access, delayed tracking, and improved tertiary entry, and points to potential growth gains from reducing opportunity gaps.","Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized  \nThe World Bank  \nPoverty and Equity  \nKristina Vaughan and Monica Robayo-Abril  \nInequality of opportunity in Bulgaria  \nPolicy Note  \nAbstract: Using data from a recent EU-SILC module on intergenerational mobility, this policy note explores to what extent the high levels of inequality prevalent in Bulgaria are due to inequality of opportunity, that is, inequality due to circumstances beyond an individual’s control. The results show that over half of the income inequality in Bulgaria is due to inequality of opportunity, the highest share in the European Union. Using Shapley's decomposition techniques, we find that disparities in parents’ education explain most of the inequality of opportunity. Related to this, Bulgaria is one of the countries in Europe where children’s education is strongly linked to that of their parents, resulting in little educational intergenerational mobility. Policies to tackle high levels of inequality of opportunity mainly center around reforming the educational system as gaps in educational attainment are evident as early as the early childhood level, and schools have typically been inequality reinforcing. Greater access to quality early childhood education, delayed tracking of students until they have acquired foundational skills, and improved access to quality tertiary institutions are key to reducing inequality of opportunity. Complementary analysis suggests there are sizable growth gains to be made in Bulgaria if human capital attainment is improved and reducing inequality of opportunity presents one such pathway.  \nInequality of Opportunity in Bulgaria1  \nIncome inequality in a society is considered acceptable from an equity standpoint insofar as differences in income result from differing levels of effort, more commonly referred to as inequality of effort (Roemer 1993; Van de Gaer 1993) . However, when circumstances at birth either directly or indirectly determine income, more commonly referred to as inequality of opportunity (Roemer 1993; Van de Gaer 1993), this is viewed as a violation of core equity principles. Several studies have analyzed the degree to which inequality of opportunity is prevalent across countries, primarily focusing on education, the labor market, and income. Most recently, Palmisano, Biagi, and Peragine (2021) analyzed inequality of opportunity in tertiary education in 31 countries in Europe and found big geographical differences, with Nordic countries having lower rates of inequality of opportunity than Mediterranean and Eastern countries. Across all countries, parental education and occupation were the strongest determinants of inequality of opportunity. Abras et al. (2012) examined inequality of opportunity in the labor market across countries in Europe and Central Asia. They found substantial heterogeneity in inequality of opportunity and its determinants, though they cite a strong role for parents' education and gender. Finally, Marrero and Rodríguez (2011) examined the impact of inequality of opportunity on disposable income using data from 23 European countries. They found that Nordic, Western European, and some of the more prosperous Eastern European Union (EU) countries report low inequality of opportunity. In contrast, the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and poorer Eastern EU countries report high inequality of opportunity.  \nWhile the strand of the literature that quantifies inequality of opportunity and its determinants is relatively well developed, complementary literature empirically identifying the macroeconomic impacts of inequality of opportunity is substantially less explored. This is mostly due to demanding data requirements, econometric complexities, and the difficulty in disentangling inequality of opportunity from inequality of effort. In one of the few papers that attempt this, Marrero and Rodríguez (2013) evaluate the impact of inequality of opportunity on growth, disentangling inequality of oppor","cbCaidzvQr6BWCAu","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaidzvQr6BWCAu","pdf",734846,5,1,23,"English","en",105,"# Inequality of Opportunity in Bulgaria - Policy Note\n## Evidence on how inequality of opportunity drives income inequality\n## Decomposition findings on parental education\n## Macroeconomic implications and potential growth gains\n## Policy priorities for education reform\n## Notes on data sources and analytical background","[{\"question\":\"What is inequality of opportunity in the context of this policy note?\",\"answer\":\"Inequality of opportunity refers to income differences caused by circumstances at birth that are beyond an individual’s control, violating equity principles.\"},{\"question\":\"How much of Bulgaria’s income inequality is linked to inequality of opportunity?\",\"answer\":\"More than half of income inequality in Bulgaria is due to inequality of opportunity, which is the highest share in the European Union.\"},{\"question\":\"Which factor explains most of Bulgaria’s inequality of opportunity?\",\"answer\":\"Disparities in parents’ education explain most of the inequality of opportunity.\"}]","Inequality of Opportunity in Bulgaria - Policy Note | PDF",1784478592,58,{"code":4,"msg":32,"data":33},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":34,"title":13,"keywords":35,"description":14,"schema_data":36,"social_meta":88,"head_meta":90,"extra_data":92,"updated_unix":29},"inequality-of-opportunity-in-bulgaria-policy-note","",{"@graph":37,"@context":87},[38,55,70],{"@type":39,"itemListElement":40},"BreadcrumbList",[41,45,49,52],{"item":42,"name":43,"@type":44,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":46,"name":47,"@type":44,"position":48},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":50,"name":12,"@type":44,"position":51},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":53,"name":13,"@type":44,"position":54},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/inequality-of-opportunity-in-bulgaria-policy-note/109317/",4,{"url":53,"name":13,"@type":56,"author":57,"headline":13,"publisher":59,"fileFormat":62,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":63,"datePublished":64,"encodingFormat":62,"isAccessibleForFree":65,"interactionStatistic":66},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":58},"Person",{"url":42,"name":60,"@type":61},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-07-29","2026-07-19",true,{"@type":67,"interactionType":68,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":69},"ViewAction",{"@type":71,"mainEntity":72},"FAQPage",[73,79,83],{"name":74,"@type":75,"acceptedAnswer":76},"What is inequality of opportunity in the context of this policy note?","Question",{"text":77,"@type":78},"Inequality of opportunity refers to income differences caused by circumstances at birth that are beyond an individual’s control, violating equity principles.","Answer",{"name":80,"@type":75,"acceptedAnswer":81},"How much of Bulgaria’s income inequality is linked to inequality of opportunity?",{"text":82,"@type":78},"More than half of income inequality in Bulgaria is due to inequality of opportunity, which is the highest share in the European Union.",{"name":84,"@type":75,"acceptedAnswer":85},"Which factor explains most of Bulgaria’s inequality of opportunity?",{"text":86,"@type":78},"Disparities in parents’ education explain most of the inequality of opportunity.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":53,"og:type":89,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":60,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":91,"canonical":53},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":25},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":94},[95,99,103,107,111,116,121,124,129,132,136],{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":48,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":54,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":104,"show_sort_weight":105,"slug":106},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":114,"slug":115},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":118,"show_sort_weight":119,"slug":120},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":122,"slug":123},30,"research-report",{"id":125,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":126,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":128},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":130,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":131},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":133,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":134,"show_sort_weight":133,"slug":135},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":137,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":138,"show_sort_weight":20,"slug":139},19,"General","general"]