Social mobility and equal opportunity are key to thriving societies and economies. Yet they remain key challenges in the current context. To help countries address these challenges, and by building on the OECD's longstanding experience on the topic, the newly created OECD Observatory on Social Mobility and Equal Opportunity will:

• advance data collection efforts to measure social mobility and equal opportunity, and understand the drivers of these issues;
  
  
• discuss how policies can break down barriers to equal opportunity and promote social mobility; and
  
  
• analyse the role of civil society and the private sector in fostering equal opportunity.

The activities of the Observatory complement the OECD's broader work on inequality and poverty. When large differences in the distribution of economic resources, employment opportunities and social outcomes are large, they are likely to translate into low social mobility and enduring disadvantage. The right mix of policies, including for example educational interventions, strategic regional investments, and labour market and social and welfare policies, can help foster more equal opportunity.