Sambhav-2024

• Provide a precise definition of Human Development.
• Discuss the main components of Human Development.
• Explain the major approaches for measuring Human Development.
• Conclude suitably.

Introduction

As per the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), human development is about enhancing people’s capabilities, enlarging their range of choices, expanding their freedom, and promoting human rights for all citizens.

• It is the concept of development that goes beyond economic growth and regards people’s lives as its central focus.

Body

The noted economist Mahbub ul Haq considered four essential pillars of human development:

• Equality: If development is viewed in terms of enhancing people’s basic capabilities, people must enjoy equitable access to opportunities. Such may be called equality-related capabilities.
  • To ensure equality-related capabilities or access to opportunities what is essential is that the societal institutional structure needs to be more favourable or progressive.
• Sustainability: The development should ‘keep going’, and should ‘last long’. The concept of sustainable development focuses on the need to maintain the long term protective capacity of the biosphere.
  • To attain the goal of sustainable development, what is of great impor­tance is the attainment of the goal of both intra- generation and inter-generation equality.
• Productivity: This is commonly called investment in human capital. Investment in human capital—in addition to physical capital—can add more productivity.
  • The improvement in the quality of human resources raises the productivity of existing resources..
• Empowerment: Empowerment implies a political democracy in which people themselves make the decisions about their lives. Under it, people enjoy greater political and civil liberties and remain free from excessive controls and regu­lations.
  • Empowerment refers to decentralisation of power so that the benefits of governance are reaped by all peoples.

Major Approaches for Measuring Human Development:

• Income Approach: The idea is that the level of income reflects the level of freedom an individual enjoys.Higher the level of income, the higher is the level of human development.
• Welfare Approach: This approach looks at human beings as beneficiaries
• or targets of all development activities. The approach argues for higher government expenditure on education, health, social secondary and amenities.
• Basic Needs Approach: The basic needs approach to human development is a perspective that emphasizes the fulfillment of essential human needs as the primary goal of development efforts
  • The International Labour Organisation (ILO) proposed six basic needs as health, education, food, water supply, sanitation, and housing.
• Capability Approach: This approach is associated with Prof. Amartya Sen. Building human capabilities in the areas of health, education and access to resources is the key to increasing human development.

Major Measuring Mechanisms of Human Development:

• Human Development Index (HDI): The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and having a decent standard of living.
  • The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions.
• Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI): The MPI assesses poverty in multiple dimensions, including health, education, and standard of living. It offers a more in-depth understanding of poverty by considering various deprivations that individuals may face simultaneously.
• Gender Development Index (GDI): The GDI measures gender disparities in human development, considering factors like life expectancy, education, and income.

Conclusion

Measuring human development is crucial for gauging progress, and guiding policy decisions, promoting global collaboration, addressing inequalities, ensuring accountability, and ultimately working towards a more equitable and sustainable future.