Origins of the Human Development Approach
The Human Development approach arose
in part as a result of growing criticism to the leading development approach of
the 1980s, which presumed a close link between national economic growth and the
expansion of individual human choices. Many, such as Dr. Mahbub ul Haq, the
Pakistani economist who played a key role in formulating the human development
paradigm, came to recognize the need for an alternative development model due
to many factors, including:
- Growing evidence that did not support the then prevailing belief in the “trickle down” power of market forces to spread economic benefits and end poverty;
- The human costs of Structural Adjustment Programmes became more apparent;
- Social ills (crime, weakening of social fabric, HIV/AIDS, pollution, etc.) were still spreading even in cases of strong and consistent economic growth;
- A wave of democratization in the early 90’s raised hopes for people-centred models.
Many of its key principles, however, can be found in the writings of scholars and philosophers from past eras and across many societies.
As of 1990, the human development concept was applied to a systematic study of global themes, as published in the yearly global Human Development Reports under the auspice of the UNDP. The work of Amartya Sen and others provided the conceptual foundation for an alternative and broader human development approach defined as a process of enlarging people’s choices and enhancing human capabilities (the range of things people can be and do) and freedoms, enabling them to: live a long and healthy life, have access to knowledge and a decent standard of living, and participate in the life of their community and decisions affecting their lives.
 |
"Human development, as an approach, is concerned with what I take to be the basic development idea: namely, advancing the richness of human life, rather than the richness of the economy in which human beings live, which is only a part of it." Prof. Amartya Sen
|
Human development has always been flexible and “open-ended” with respect to more specific definitions. There can be as many human development dimensions as there are ways of enlarging people’s choices. The key or priority parameters of human development can evolve over time and vary both across and within countries.
Some of the issues and themes currently considered most central to human development include:
- Social progress - greater access to knowledge, better nutrition and health services.
- Economics – the importance of economic growth as a means to reduce inequality and improve levels of human development.
- Efficiency - in terms of resource use and availability. human development is pro-growth and productivity as long as such growth directly benefits the poor, women and other marginalized groups.
- Equity - in terms of economic growth and other human development parameters.
- Participation and freedom - particularly empowerment, democratic governance, gender equality, civil and political rights, and cultural liberty, particularly for marginalized groups defined by urban-rural, sex, age, religion, ethnicity, physical/mental parameters, etc.
- Sustainability - for future generations in ecological, economic and social terms.
- Human security - security in daily life against such chronic threats as hunger and abrupt disruptions including joblessness, famine, conflict, etc.
