Human Development Index: SL remains at 73

Sri Lanka has been able to maintain its status at 73 under the ‘High Human Development’ category in the latest Human Development Index (HDI) compiled by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), according to a survey.

The index was included in the UNDP’S Human Development Report 2016 titled ‘Human Development for Everyone’ which was launched in Stockholm, Sweden yesterday.

A number of aspects including gender inequality, life expectancy at birth, mortality rate, child malnutrition, GDP and public health expenditure of people among 188 countries had been taken

Central Africa was the country with the least human development this year and it was followed by Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Burundi

into consideration by the UNDP when creating the report.

“Though it was able to maintain the rank, Sri Lanka had increased its HDI value from 0.757 to 0.766 this year,” it said. According to the report, life expectancy of females in Sri Lanka is 78.4 and its 71.7 for males.

In the South Asian Region, only the Maldives ranked at 105 and Sri Lanka had been categorised in Countries with High Human Development.

Sri Lanka’s neighbour India ranked at 131, Bhutan 132, Bangladesh 139, Nepal 144 and Pakistan 147 under the category of ‘Medium Human Development.’

Meanwhile, Afghanistan was ranked 169 with a Low Human Development.

Norway topped the index with the highest human development followed by Australia, Switzerland-both ranked at 2 –followed by Germany and Denmark.

Central Africa was the country with the least human development this year and it was followed by Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Burundi.

A stronger focus on those excluded groups and on actions to dismantle these barriers is urgently needed to ensure sustainable human development for all

The UNDP said the report made it clear that progress in the Asia Pacific region had not benefited everyone.

“South Asia also has the highest levels of malnutrition in the world at 38 percent and the lowest public health expenditure globally as a share of GDP, at 1.6 percent (2014),” it said.

The report shows that gender-based inequalities linked to patriarchal social norms afflict women over their entire lives.

The report said exclusion of women, ethnic minorities, and people living in remote areas create constant barriers that have hindered human development progress and led to significant disparities within the Asia and the Pacific region, leaving many behind.

“A stronger focus on those excluded groups and on actions to dismantle these barriers is urgently needed to ensure sustainable human development for all,” it said.