THINK GLOBAL - ACT LOCAL: - PowerPoint Presentation

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THINK GLOBAL - ACT LOCAL:

INDICES FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

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Jon Hall

Human Development Report Office, UNDP

Seeta

Prabhu

UNDP IndiaSlide2

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Why Do We Measure Human Development?

What

we measure affects what we do. If we have the wrong metrics, we will strive for the wrong

things.

If our measurements are flawed, decisions may be distorted

Joseph

StiglitzSlide3

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Why Do We Measure Human Development

But

different types of measurement reach different audiences, affect different actions, and are used for different decisions.

Indices

vs

Sets of

Indicators

vs

Microdata

Internationally Comparable Data

vs

National Data

vs

Local

Data

Strengths and Weaknesses

with each approach. We need an

armoury

of indicators to tackle the world’s challenges, affect different levels of decision making and influence all citizens.Slide4

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A Global Index

Can be a powerful tool to encourage broad debate – the media like to compare countries

Can challenge conventional notions and paradigms – that “economic growth leads to development” is no longer the only game in town

But….

Relies on the lowest common denominator of international data

Not locally owned … and can miss local contexts, local innovationsSlide5

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A National Index

Can make use of more focused and relevant data

Can be a vehicle for collecting more data

Can address local problems

But….

Lacks international context

Can be controversial and/or more difficult to sell to policy makers than an international standardSlide6

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Human Development and its Measurement

Several important steps

Conceptual:

How to define human development?

Operational:

How to observe and measure its components and determinants?

How to aggregate the different indicators to obtain a commonly acceptable single index of human development in order to measure its changes?Slide7

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Human Development and its Measurement

A standard definition of human development as

“a process of enlarging people’s choices. The most critical ones are to lead

a long and healthy

life, to be

educated

and to enjoy a

decent standard of living.”

A broader definition (2010 HDR):

“Human development is the expansion of people’s freedoms to live long, healthy and creative lives; to advance other goals they have reason to value; and to

engage actively

in shaping development

equitably

and

sustainably

on a shared planet”Slide8

Principles

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At the onset there were

six basic principles

(

Ul

Haq, 1998

)

The

HDI should

1.

Measure

the basic concept

of human development to enlarge people’s

choices

2. Include

a

limited number of variables

to keep it simple and

manageable

3. Be

a

composite

rather than a plethora of separate indices;

4. Cover

both social and economic

choices;

5. Be

sufficiently

flexible in both coverage and methodology

;

6.

N

ot

be inhibited

by lack of reliable and up-to-date data series

.Slide9

Definition of HDI

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a

summary composite index that measures a country's average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge, and income.

The HDI was recognized from the onset as simple and crude

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The Human Development IndexSlide11

What

Does the HDI Tell Us?

People

and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone.

It can

also be used to question national policy choices, asking how two countries with the same level of GNI per capita can end up with such different human development outcomes.

Example:

Saudi Arabia has GNI per capita more than $2000 higher than Czech Republic, but

life expectancy and expected years of schooling differ greatly between the two

countries.



Czech Republic is much higher ranked than Saudi Arabia.

These

striking contrasts can directly stimulate debate about government policy priorities.

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National Human Development Reports

a policy advocacy document to generate political attention and public debate;a process which provides space for democratic debatepresents

people-centered recommendationscontains objective

analysis,

accurate

and

unbiased

dataSlide13

How Many?

Since 1992 some 700 national and sub-national HDRs + 40 regional HDRsSlide14

On What

Themes?Africa: HIV/AIDS, gender, governance, poverty, peace and post-conflict reconstruction

Asia:Gender, agriculture, democracy, empowerment

Latin America

:

S

ocial capital, people’s participation, vulnerability

Arab States

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Knowledge and information, youth, general HD

Eastern Europe/CIS countries

:

R

ole of the state, market transition, ICT, peace and human security, HIV/AIDSSlide15

5 Ways To Act Local

Introduction of a new composite indexNew issues from an HD perspectiveExpanding the analysis of HDNew data sources: household and perception surveys

Disaggregation

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5 Ways To Act Local

1. Introduction of a new composite indexThe Arab States Report (2003) introduced a measure of knowledge based on years schooling, use of newspapers, radios and tv, the numbers of scientists, patent applications, published books, telephone lines and internet providers

The Bosnia & Herzegovnia Report (2007) measured social exclusion, looking at the long term unemployed and people below the poverty line, people without health insurance, people without primary school education, people not voting or participating in social activities, people without a telephone

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5 Ways To Act Local

1. Introduction of a new composite indexPlus Russia (2004) – Knowledge IndexGhana (2007) – Inclusion IndexCosta Rica (2005) – Citizen Insecurity IndexColombia (2003) – Armed Conflict Index

Mexico (2004) – Political Competition IndexThailand (2003) – Human Achievement IndexNepal (2004) – Human Empowerment Index

Chile (2004) – People’s Power Index

Delhi (2006) – Quality of Service Index

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5 Ways To Act Local

2. New issues from an HD perspectiveThe Egypt Report (2001) looks at how globalization interacts with human developmentThe China

Report (2002) reviews the nexus between environmental challenges and people’s health and livelihoodsThe Peru Report (2005) looks at economic, social and political competitiveness

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5 Ways To Act Local

3. Expanding the analysis of HDThe Georgia Report (2002) explores different definitions of poverty (including intermediate and extreme poverty)

The Mozambique Report (2007) looks at HIV Aids and its implications on demographic, social and economic development.

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5 Ways To Act Local

New data sources: household and perception surveysThe Latvia Report (2001) surveyed the public and policy makers to investigate whether people had sufficient voice in the policy process

The Central and Eastern Europe Regional Report (2003) surveyed 5000 Roma to analyze their Human DevelopmentThe Somalia Report (2012) surveyed 3500 young people to understand their feelings, frustrations and potential

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5 Ways To Act Local

DisaggregationThe Bulgaria Report (2000) calculated a municipal HDI for 262 Bulgarian towns

The Kyrgyzstan Report (2002) looks at HDI according to different altitudinal zonesThe El Salvador Report (2008) looks at HDI according to

labour

force status

Plus Uganda (2002), Nepal (2001), Malawi (2001), Mongolia (2003), Egypt (2003 &04), Lebanon (1998)

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Going Local-Human Development Reports in India

India has the largest number of sub-national HDRs globally 25 Sub National/State44 District2 City2 National

2 award winning SHDRs Chhattisgarh and West BengalDistrict HDR awards Manav

Vikas

in

2012

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Three key features: Government owned

participatory and independence

of

analysis Slide23

HDI Computed at District Level

Serious data challengesLack of data on income and HD indicators at the required level of disaggregation Non comparability of data across time points

Lack of consistency of data from different sources – variations across department, district and state level

Non availability of data disaggregated by sex and social group

Data constraints have led to adaptation of indicators used for HDI and poverty –

Reciprocal of IMR combined with life expectancy at age one used in place of life expectancy

Consumption expenditure used as proxy for income/poverty

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Innovations in HD Measurement at Local Level

Use of HD Radars - India NHDR 2002, Bankura DHDRHDI and HPI for Social Groups- Scheduled Caste and Scheduled TribesInequality Adjusted HDI for

States in India

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Innovations

Enabling HD Measurement at Local LevelDistrict Human Development Report Cards- PAHELI- People’s Audit of Health, Education and LivelihoodData collection becomes an engaging and participatory exercisePictographic and easy to understand survey tools used- in local languagesWider dissemination of report cards possible to encourage greater public participation in

planning

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Sample HD District Report Card

Sample PAHELI ToolkitSlide26

Impact of Local Level HDRs

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Low HDI districts prioritized by State governments for

Resource allocation across regions – Finance Commission, State governments

Local level planning for improving HD indicators

Establishing special institutional mechanisms – Human Development Missions in Bihar and Maharashtra

Detailed diagnostic studies in wards with low HDI in cities – Mumbai M-Ward initiative led by municipalitySlide27

Impact of Local

Level HDRsLocal level HDRs have led toNew programmatic initiatives to tackle specific issues – Education Guarantee Scheme in Madhya Pradesh Impetus to collection of statistics on HD at local level

Sensitized local elected representatives to human development issues in their constituenciesEnabled people’s participation in planning processes – Chhattisgarh HDR – 17000 village

report cards

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HDI as a Tool to

Assess InclusionInclusion a much aspired objective of development policy in many countries in the global south including India No widely accepted composite measure of inclusiveness of human development outcomes or growth exists

Computing HDI disaggregated by regional, income levels and across the divides of various social groups an answer

Example- HDI, HPI for marginalized groups like indigenous people and religious and ethnic minorities

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Conclusions 

Think Global: The purpose of HDI rankings is to stimulate debate and policy discussionAct Global

: The HDI data show there are different paths to developmentThink Local

: A wealth of knowledge in 20 years’ worth of national reports and a wealth of innovation too

Act Local

: local data are needed for local problems

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More

Information @ WWW.HDR.UNDP.ORGWWW.UNDP.ORG.IN

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