Kathmandu, Sept. 12
Nepal's human development has been significantly slowed by
the COVID-19 pandemic, statistics of the Human Development Report (HDR) 2021/22
show.
While Nepal improved its ranking from 144th to
143th position, the Human Development Index (HDI) value has marginally
declined from 0.604 in 2020 to 0.602 in 2021 due to continued turbulence caused
by the pandemic.
In 2019, Nepal's HDI was 0.611 which means there was a
decline of 0.9 points over two years' period.
The 2010-2021 period is the period with lowest average
annual HDI growth of 0.94 against 1.52 of 2000-2010 and 1.59 of 1990-2000,
according to the statistics presented in the report.
Released after a two-year gap, the 2022 Report puts the
country in the medium human development category. The HDI is a summary measure
for assessing long- term progress in three basic dimensions of human
development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard
of living, said the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Between 1990 and 2021, Nepal's HDI value changed from 0.399
to 0.602, a change of 50.9 percent.
"During that period, Nepal's life expectancy at birth
changed by 13.6 years, mean years of schooling changed by 2.8 years and
expected years of schooling changed by 5.4 years. Nepal's GNI per capita
changed by about 146.0 percent between 1990 and 2021," read a statement
issued by the UNDP in Nepal.
Loss due to persisting inequalities
The analysis shows Nepal’s continues to incur substantive
loss in human development due to persisting inequalities. Nepal continued to a
loss of over 25 per cent in human development due to inequalities across
gender, caste, geographic regions and other categories.
According to the report, as the inequality in a country
increase, the loss in human development also increases.
The 2021 female HDI value for Nepal is 0.584 in contrast
with 0.621 for males, resulting in a GDI value of 0.942, placing it into Group
3 which comprises countries with medium equality in HDI achievements between
women and men.
Records show during 2019 and 2020, Nepal’s performance was
comparatively low in the areas, including maternal mortality, shares of
parliamentary seats held by women, and women’s participation in the labour
force.
'Nepal maintains stable HDI'
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Pampha
Bhusal, said at the report launching programme on Monday in Kathmandu that
despite the Covid-19 pandemic, various natural calamities, and the recent
unstable developments in the world, Nepal has managed to maintain a stable HDI.
"This can be considered positive, although we still have a lot to do in
this area," she said.
According to her, Nepal has expanded the health sector to
rural areas, while the health system of the developed countries of the world
has been crippled by an epidemic like COVID-19, it is well known that Nepal has
carefully faced the pandemic and minimized the damage.
The minister stated that it is necessary to increase the
purchasing power of the people for quality living. "For that, the economy
of the country should be strong. Agriculture, tourism and energy are the main
basis for building a strong economy in Nepal," she said.
Minister Bhusal also said that considering the possibility
that Nepal can play a leading role in the production of green hydrogen energy
in the world, the ministry has started internal preparations.
Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, former Finance Minister and VC of
NPC, said that the priority should be given to people over the planet, people
should come before the environment.
Likewise, Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labe, UNDP’s Resident
Representative in Nepal, stated that the new HDR indicates Nepal has largely
maintained stable position over the past two years despite numerous shocks,
including COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.
"This is because of the long investments over the
years. Going forward, we need everyone’s wisdom, experience and more
importantly the positive attitude to cope with crisis and making more choices
available to the people,” she said.
90 pc countries witness decline in HDI
Presenting the summary of the report, Dr. Swarnim Wagle,
Chief Economic Advisor of UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, and
Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission of Nepal, said that 90 per
cent countries have witness decline in human development during the COVID-19
period (2020 and 2021) which is unprecedented evidence in recent history.
Likewise, one in eight people suffer from a mental health
disorder.
"Uncertainty and insecurity are driving divisions
between groups in society and affecting our ability to cooperate and talk with
each other. People feel more insecure also feel a lesser sense of control over
their own lives due to the impact of the pandemic," said Dr. Wagle.
The report has suggested investment in Provisions of global
public goods, complex governance and institutions, nature based human
development and preparations to face environmental changes for the human
development in the changed world order.
Likewise, innovation for adaptive peacebuilding, energy
efficiency, social innovation, misinformation regulation and media literacy,
and data and measurement, as well as insurance for macroprudential policies,
social protection, access to basic services, protection of human rights, public
deliberation and removal of barriers for participation are other areas that
needed address.
According to the report, with the theme, 'Uncertain times,
unsettled lives: Shaping our future in a transforming world', the last two
years have had a devastating impact for billions of people around the world,
when crises like COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine hit back-to-back, and
interacted with sweeping social and economic shifts, dangerous planetary
changes, and massive increases in polarization.
The report has ranked Sri Lanka at the top, at 73, among the
South Asian countries. Similarly, Maldives is at 90, Bhutan 127, Bangladesh
129, India 132, Pakistan 161, and Afghanistan 180.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 13 September 2022.
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