The first-ever Afghanistan Human Development Report shows economy, education improving, but poverty, inequality and instability threaten progress. The new Afghan Government together with the international community must act now to prevent relapse. Accountability should be to the Afghan people's human security needs.
The report marks the first time in modern history that objective observers were allowed to gather and tabulate hard data on living conditions among everyday Afghans. It draws a portrait of a nation still at odds - if no longer at war - with itself. And in a novel approach to peacemaking, the unblinking, unvarnished Report concludes that "human security" and "human development," rather than military force and diplomacy alone, are key to resolving Afghanistan's complex problems. The legitimate grievances of the Afghan people must be addressed before a lasting peace can take hold. Beyond survival, Afghans expect an existence with dignity, a life free of fear and free from wants.
