RI still ranks low on human development index<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's rank in terms of the Human
\nDevelopment Index (HDI), as assessed by the United Nations
\nDevelopment Programme, remains the second lowest among the ASEAN
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
The 1995 Human Development Report of the UNDP which was
\nofficially launched in Oslo, Norway, yesterday, put Indonesia at
\n104th among the 174 countries surveyed.<\/p>\n
The HDI value for each country was measured on the basis of
\n1992 data on three main components: life expectancy at birth,
\neducational attainment comprising adult literacy combined with
\nprimary, secondary and tertiary enrollment ratio, and income.<\/p>\n
Among the ASEAN countries, Vietnam held the lowest rank at
\n120th. Slightly higher than Indonesia was the Philippines at
\n100th. Singapore topped the six regional grouping with the 35th
\nposition, followed by Brunei at 41th, Thailand at 58th and
\nMalaysia 59th.<\/p>\n
None of the 174 countries, even the most industrialized ones,
\ngained the highest HDI set at 1. Canada which was given the
\nhighest HDI rank gained only 0.950 HDI, followed in the second
\nrank by the United States with 0.938 HDI.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, with 0.637 HDI, ranked 41st among 64 countries
\nclassified in the medium human development category with HDI
\nranging from 0.503 to 0.798.<\/p>\n
The report, copies of which were distributed here by the UNDP
\noffice, was commissioned by the UNDP and was written by an
\nindependent team of experts under the overall direction of Mahbub
\nul Haq of Pakistan, a special advisor to the UNDP administrator.<\/p>\n
The relationship between economic growth and human development
\nhas been an overarching theme of the report since its first
\npublication in 1990, as well as a source of controversy and
\ndebate.<\/p>\n
Some have alleged, for example, that the human development
\nconcept is antigrowth.<\/p>\n
Haq argues that economic growth is necessary for human
\ndevelopment but the purpose of development is to help people live
\nlonger, more productive and fulfilling lives.<\/p>\n
"This simple but powerful truth is too often forgotten in the
\npursuit of material and financial wealth. Economic growth that
\ndoes not put people at its center is development without a soul,"
\nhe pointed out at the launching of the report.<\/p>\n
Two sides<\/p>\n
The report says human development has two sides: One is the
\nformation of human capabilities such as improved health,
\nknowledge and skills and the other is the use people make of
\ntheir acquired capabilities for productive purposes, for leisure
\nor for being active in cultural, social and political affairs.<\/p>\n
"Income is not the sum-total of their lives. The purpose of
\ndevelopment is to enlarge all human choices, not just income,"
\nthe report points out.<\/p>\n
It argues that human resource development treats human beings
\nprimarily as an input in the production process -- a means rather
\nthan an end.<\/p>\n
But welfare approaches look at human beings as beneficiaries
\nand not as agents of change in the development process, the
\nreport says, adding that the emphasis should be on enlarging
\nhuman choices in all fields.<\/p>\n
The authors of the report claim that all underlying data for
\nthe HDI have been thoroughly checked in consultation with their
\nprimary data sources -- the United Nations Population Division
\n(for life expectancy), UNESCO (for education) and the World Bank
\nfor income.<\/p>\n
The report measures the gross domestic product in terms of
\npurchasing power parity. Based on this calculation, Indonesia's
\nper capita Gross Domestic Product was estimated at US$2,950 in
\n1992.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's average life expectancy was estimated by the
\nreport at 62.7 years in 1992.<\/p>\n
The 1995 report, for the first time, also measures the gaps
\nin opportunities between women and men apparently in connection
\nwith the World Conference on Women in Beijing early next month.
\n(vin)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-still-ranks-low-on-human-development-index-1447893297",
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