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The Arctic Human Development Report is the first comprehensive assessment of human well-being covering the entire Arctic region. The report contains 11 substantive chapters, an introduction, a conclusion and a Summary of Major Findings. Based on contributions from some 90 scientists located in all the members of the Arctic Council and coordinated by a secretariat based at the Stefansson Arctic Institute in Akureyri, Iceland, the report offers a wide-ranging scientific assessment of achievements and challenges relating to human development in the Arctic.
Year: 2004 |
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This Report is the first Regional HDR on HIV/AIDS and examines the connection between the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the larger challenge of human deprivation in South Asia. The central argument of the Report is that it is imperative that the eradication of HIV goes hand in hand with the eradication of human poverty in the region, particularly given the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) campaign.
Year: 2003 |
The Employment Challenge
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This report underlines the imperative of translating economic growth into job creation and poverty reduction. It analyses the issue of employment from the perspective of people and raises concerns about the current patterns of economic growth and trade, the systems of education and training, the protection of the rights of all workers including women and children, and the global trading rules as they impact on food and livelihood security of the poor people. The report provides a policy framework to establish links between economic growth, employment, human development and poverty reduction. The report concludes that the failure to consciously establish this link would deliver neither sustainable economic growth nor social justice. Year: 2003 |
Agriculture and Rural Development
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More than 515 million, that is 40% of South Asians, have experienced a decline in their incomes over the last few years. The Report argues that this decline is rooted in the dislocation between Government and people, which accounts for Government's inability to translate the increase in agricultural production into reducing poverty. The real challenge facing the region now is to build an agricultural and rural development model that is both growth-oriented and human-centred. Human development cannot be achieved without more equitable distribution of wealth deriving from economic growth. This requires pro-people policies, especially in a region where benefits are limited to a small minority of educated urban populations. Year: 2002 |
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This Report analyses the process of globalization from the perspective of its impact on people, presenting the experience of five South Asian countries, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The Report finds that the globalization process in South Asia has focused on integrating markets without improving the condition of the vast majority of South Asians; globalization has not been accompanied by a reduction in poverty or an improvement in human development. The Report argues that for the positive effects of globalization and economic growth begin to be felt by the people of South Asia the process has to be managed. It makes several recommendations ranging from enhancing the role of civil society to guard the poor against the disproportionate burden placed on them, to regional-level efforts to prepare the labour force to face global competition. The Report concludes with an interesting discussion of possible mechanisms to manage globalization internationally, such as implementing the Tobin Tax or reforming some of the institutions of global governance. Year: 2001 |
The Gender Question
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As the first South Asia-wide analysis of gender issues, the Report focuses on five areas of concern to gender equality: law, economics, education, health and governance. The Report explores the disproportionate share of the burden of deprivation that is borne by South Asian women, finding that women are bearing the brunt of the region's increasing poverty; colossal human deprivation; poor governance; discrimination based on customs and tradition; and civil and military strife. Among the number of poor people, illiterates and the unemployed in South Asia, women form the majority. Women hardly have a voice in the decision-making forums in the regions. They work from dawn to dusk, but their work is not counted. Five years after the Beijing Conference on Women, much remains to be done in improving women's capacities, providing them with opportunities for income-earning and political participation, and ensuring legal justice. The Report received wide media attention resulting in editorials in leading newspapers in India and Pakistan and is used as a reference in many universities across South Asia. Year: 2000 |
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The third South Asia Human Development Report 1999 was produced by the Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Center with the assistance of UNDP. According to the report, South Asia is facing a crisis of governance which, if left unchecked, could undermine the region’s democratic progress, and the economic and social well-being of its people. Home to nearly one-fourth of the world’s population, the region is characterised by governments that represent the poor but aid the rich; taxation that is insufficient and regressive; and expenditures that are misdirected and ineffective. In addition, millions of dollars are transferred out of the region every year through corruption. South Asia today features societies that assert the rights of some but perpetuate the exclusion of others. The report analyses issues of governance from political, economic, social and civic perspectives. It provides an in-depth analysis of the phenomenon of corruption and advocates a concrete and realistic reform agenda for promoting ‘humane governance’ in the region. In this regard, the report introduces a new index that ranks countries according to their performance in the spheres of economic, political and civic governance. Year: 1999 |
Creating Opportunities
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This report describes the general development trends in the Pacific, highlighting how these trends affect, or are modified by, the small island characteristics of the countries of the region. The report measures human development, not only in terms of GDP, employment and other economic indicators but also by social standards such as longevity, adult literary, access to health services and safe drinking water and women's participation. For the first time, the Human Poverty Index used in the UNDP Global Report is introduced in the Pacific and the Vulnerability Index for Small Island States is being developed. The report argues that good governance is crucial to achieving human development. This will require, among other measures, increasing the amount and quality of information available on social and economic change to ensure that policies and programmes are effective. It will also involve developing sound political and administrative structures that facilitate informed decision-making and policy implementation. Year: 1999 |
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The report presents a highly disturbing profile of education in the countries of South Asia, excluding Sri Lanka and Maldives. The focus in this report is on basic education for all the children. This report outlines a concrete five-year plan to educate all the children of South Asia, both girls and boys. the report also focuses on the creation of relevant technical skills to position South Asia to face the challenge of globalization in the 21st century. Year: 1998 |
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The basic objective of the report is to persuade policymakers and civil society to take urgent steps to correct the present situation because the South Asia region has tremendous development potential. Year: 1997 |
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Year: 1995 |
