ZAHEER ABBASI
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan stands at low level of 146 out of 187 countries in terms of Human Development Index (HDI) with staggering rate of poverty, high inequality and frequent natural disasters making millions of people vulnerable.
The United National Development Programme (UNDP) report for 2014 launched here on Wednesday placed Pakistan HDI value for 2013 at 0.537, which is in the low human development category, positioning the country at 146 out of 187 countries and territories. From South Asia, countries which are close to Pakistan in 2013 HDI rank and to some extent in population size are India and Bangladesh, which have HDIs ranked 135 and 142, respectively.
The UNDP country director Marc-André Franche, presenting the highlights of the report stated that the issue of vulnerability and resilience is unfortunately well-known and interiorized by Pakistanis. He added conflict with the militancy and other groups, sectarian violence, compounded by natural disasters including 2005 earthquake and 22 major floods since Pakistan’s independence added to the regional tensions and political instability that have weakened institutions, blocked reforms, diverted resources and made millions more vulnerable. Those who were already the poorest and most excluded are living in areas which are disintegrated from the rest of the country.
The UNDP country director stated that persistent vulnerabilities create a vicious circle has undermined the progress and resources needed to recover increase manifold. He added that there are two main sets of vulnerabilities influencing human capabilities; (i) life cycle vulnerabilities as a result of lack of investment or poor outcomes at the early stage of life, which are prenatal and early childhood, have the highest impact on human development than investments made at old stage. Unfortunately in Pakistan, vulnerabilities at the early stage of life cycle are the highest with 43.7 percent of the children stunted an increase of 3 percent in 10 years. Malnutrition in children under five has shown no improvement in the last 46 years rather it has actually worsened. The second most important stage of the life cycle is youth here understood as those between 15-24 years old. In 2012, the global youth unemployment rate was estimated at 12.7 percent, almost three times the adult unemployment rate; (ii) Second crucial vulnerabilities are the structural ones, generated from social, legal institutions, power structures, political traditions and socio-cultural norms. Structural vulnerabilities are manifested through deep inequalities and widespread poverty. According him, in Pakistan, 44.2 percent of the households live in multidimensional poverty.
The report proposes various ways to respond to the situation, making investment for resilience and to provide basic social services and safety nets. It also proposes to enact policies for full employment reducing vulnerabilities and securing livelihoods of the work force in the informal sector. Given the huge youth bulge, Pakistan needs to invest heavily in employment, engagement and empowerment of youth.
The head of Department for International Development (DFID) in Pakistan Richard Montgomery said that the health and education sectors are facing serious challenge and there is a great confusion about transfer of resources from federal to provincial level. He added that the malnutrition is silent enemy which is not being addressed. He also underlined the need of strengthening social safety nets. The Head of DFID added that this report can help debate on how best to build Pakistan’s resilience, strengthen the way the State serves its citizens, and build a more inclusive economy and society. The launching of the report was followed by a panel discussion on the vulnerabilities of people in FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa.
