Reports and Publications

Background Papers

We live in an era of uncertainty and volatility. Rapid technological change, inequalities in income and opportunities, environmental deterioration, social disruptions and political divisions are upending our political, social and economic orders. Humanity's best defence against these multiple and escalating crises of the Anthropocene is our capacity for collective action on an extraordinary scale.

Background Papers

This paper discusses how development thinking around threats and consequent crises—sudden sharp or severe disruptions in development paths—has in various ways often been inhibited and inadequate. It outlines how human security thinking can help counteract these weaknesses, at various levels, from providing a broad orientation through to some particular tools in research and planning.

Human Development Perspectives

Global Reports

The 2021/2022 Human Development Report unites and extends discussions from the 2019 and 2020 HDR's and the 2022 Special Report on Human Security, under the theme of uncertainty—how it is changing, what it means for human development and how we can thrive in the face of it.

The central message of this year’s Report is straightforward: to turn new uncertainties from a threat to an opportunity, we must double down on human development to unleash our creative and cooperative capacities.

National Reports

Human Development in Response to Demographic Change” shows that Serbia’s population will be declining in the future and that the state and society will have to formulate new responses to the demographic challenges ahead. This will mean formulating new kinds of goals in population policy, which will address both the size and the structure of the population (education, health, employment, etc.).

National Reports

The 7th Malawi National Human Development Report with the theme, “Delivering Sustainable Human Development and Accountability at the Local Level – The Experience of Decentralization in Malawi," aims to promote district focused approach to human development, by proposing policies and strategies for strengthening local governance structures in the development process, thereby accelerating sustainable human development at the local level in line with the Malawi 2063 and its First 10-Year Impleme

National Reports

Youth unemployment in South Africa is a multipronged challenge that limits the earning potential of youth, stymies business growth, threatens social cohesion, and puts pressure on public resources. There is no doubt that the high unemployment rate is a ticking time bomb. Accordingly, in addressing youth unemployment, the country will simultaneously be addressing poverty and income inequality. Addressing and tackling youth joblessness is, therefore not only sound economics but also a development

Human Development Perspectives

New data and analysis in the report, New Threats to Human Security in the Anthropocene, shows that people’s sense of safety and security is at a low in almost every country, including the richest countries, despite years of upwards development success. Those benefiting from some of the highest levels of good health, wealth, and education outcomes are reporting even greater anxiety than 10 years ago.