RI still ranks low on human development index

RI still ranks low on human development index

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's rank in terms of the Human
Development Index (HDI), as assessed by the United Nations
Development Programme, remains the second lowest among the ASEAN
countries.

The 1995 Human Development Report of the UNDP which was
officially launched in Oslo, Norway, yesterday, put Indonesia at
104th among the 174 countries surveyed.

The HDI value for each country was measured on the basis of
1992 data on three main components: life expectancy at birth,
educational attainment comprising adult literacy combined with
primary, secondary and tertiary enrollment ratio, and income.

Among the ASEAN countries, Vietnam held the lowest rank at
120th. Slightly higher than Indonesia was the Philippines at
100th. Singapore topped the six regional grouping with the 35th
position, followed by Brunei at 41th, Thailand at 58th and
Malaysia 59th.

None of the 174 countries, even the most industrialized ones,
gained the highest HDI set at 1. Canada which was given the
highest HDI rank gained only 0.950 HDI, followed in the second
rank by the United States with 0.938 HDI.

Indonesia, with 0.637 HDI, ranked 41st among 64 countries
classified in the medium human development category with HDI
ranging from 0.503 to 0.798.

The report, copies of which were distributed here by the UNDP
office, was commissioned by the UNDP and was written by an
independent team of experts under the overall direction of Mahbub
ul Haq of Pakistan, a special advisor to the UNDP administrator.

The relationship between economic growth and human development
has been an overarching theme of the report since its first
publication in 1990, as well as a source of controversy and
debate.

Some have alleged, for example, that the human development
concept is antigrowth.

Haq argues that economic growth is necessary for human
development but the purpose of development is to help people live
longer, more productive and fulfilling lives.

"This simple but powerful truth is too often forgotten in the
pursuit of material and financial wealth. Economic growth that
does not put people at its center is development without a soul,"
he pointed out at the launching of the report.

Two sides

The report says human development has two sides: One is the
formation of human capabilities such as improved health,
knowledge and skills and the other is the use people make of
their acquired capabilities for productive purposes, for leisure
or for being active in cultural, social and political affairs.

"Income is not the sum-total of their lives. The purpose of
development is to enlarge all human choices, not just income,"
the report points out.

It argues that human resource development treats human beings
primarily as an input in the production process -- a means rather
than an end.

But welfare approaches look at human beings as beneficiaries
and not as agents of change in the development process, the
report says, adding that the emphasis should be on enlarging
human choices in all fields.

The authors of the report claim that all underlying data for
the HDI have been thoroughly checked in consultation with their
primary data sources -- the United Nations Population Division
(for life expectancy), UNESCO (for education) and the World Bank
for income.

The report measures the gross domestic product in terms of
purchasing power parity. Based on this calculation, Indonesia's
per capita Gross Domestic Product was estimated at US$2,950 in
1992.

Indonesia's average life expectancy was estimated by the
report at 62.7 years in 1992.

The 1995 report, for the first time, also measures the gaps
in opportunities between women and men apparently in connection
with the World Conference on Women in Beijing early next month.
(vin)