Human Development Report 2016

Human Development
4.
Report 2016
Human Development for Everyone
Caring for those left out —
national policy options
Basic human development has progressed well on average in all regions of the world. But not everyone has benefited from
this progress—at least not equitably. Some have been left out, and some have been left behind. Given the challenges
of today’s world, this chapter identifies the key national policies and strategies that need to be pursued to achieve basic
human development for everyone and to protect the gains that have been made.
Ensuring that human development reaches
everyone calls for a four-pronged policy
approach (see infographic 4.1 on the facing
page). First, universal policies are needed to
reach those left out. There are three important
aspects of universal policies. One, universalism
is an idea, but as chapter 2 shows, practical
universalism is another matter, particularly in
policy areas. For example, a country may be
committed to universal health care, but difficult
geography may prevent it from establishing
health care centres that are accessible to all
localities. Two, even with universal outcomes,
there may be disparities. For instance, a country
may attain universal primary education,
but the quality of learning may vary between
schools in rich neighbourhoods and schools in
poor neighbourhoods. Three, because of these
factors, universal human development policies
need to be reoriented to reach those left out.
Thus, economic growth is an important means
to achieve human development, but if the
benefits of growth are to reach disadvantaged
and marginalized people, growth will have to
be inclusive such that poor and disadvantaged
people actively participate in the generation
of growth and have an equitable share in the
outcome.
Second, even with the new focus on universal
policies, some groups of people have special
needs that would not be met (see chapter 2).
Their situations require specific measures and
attention. For example, persons with disabilities
require measures to ensure their mobility,
participation and work opportunities.
Third, human development achieved does
not mean human development sustained.
Particularly in today’s world, with all the risks
and vulnerabilities (see chapter 1), progress in
human development may be slowed or even
reversed. This makes it essential to protect the
gains and avoid reversal, especially for people
who have achieved only the basics in human
development and for people who have yet
to achieve the basics. The first group could
fall back below the threshold of basic human
development, and the second might make no
headway towards reaching it. Thus human
development has to be resilient.
Fourth, people who have been left out will
have to be empowered so that if policies and
the relevant actors fail to deliver, these people
can raise their voice, demand their rights and
seek to redress the situation. That requires
a framework for human rights and access to
justice, a space for dialogue and effective participation,
and a mechanism for demanding
accountability.
Reaching those left out
using universal policies
Some policies that enhance human development,
especially universal ones, can have more
than proportionally positive impacts on marginalized
and vulnerable people. Identifying
and reorienting these policies can narrow
the human development deficits of those left
out. Essential in this are pursuing inclusive
growth, enhancing opportunities for women,
addressing lifecycle capabilities and mobilizing
resources for human development priorities
— because universal policies are resource
intensive.
Pursuing inclusive growth
For human development to reach everyone,
growth has to be inclusive. This means that
Some policies that
enhance human
development,
especially universal
ones, can have more
than proportionally
positive impacts on
marginalized and
vulnerable people
Chapter 4 Caring for those left out — national policy options | 105