Addressing social and economic disparities for Human Development

In Kenya, access to social, economic and political opportunities is far from equal. The Report probes these inequalities to discover the main causes, looking at income and employment, social development and access to social services. This theme is particularly pertinent given the current decline in economic performance and the associated increases in poverty and unemployment. The Report finds that the human development situation in Kenya has been declining since 1990 with a fall in life expectancy, per capita income and school enrollment. Most significantly, there are great regional variations in HDI, calling for broad-based rural development policies. The Report also recommends policies to ensure equality in the distribution of resources and opportunities across regions and to all vulnerable groups. As a result of these strong policy ideas, the Report is now used widely as a reference tool in Kenya and has been cited in the media, the donor community and the UN system.