HDI Rankings: a harsh reminder

One and a half billion people in the country lack access to electricity while 2.6 billion people are without basic sanitation in Pakistan. Whats more, "if current trends continue more people will lack access to modern energy in 2030 than today" cites a recent report issued by UNDP Pakistan. According to the agencys Human Development Index (HDI), the country ranked at a dismally low position of 145 out of 187 countries in 2011, whereas last year Pakistan was placed in the 125th position out of 169 countries. The methodology for the calculation of this index has been changed since last year, so a direct comparison of the countrys ranking between 2010 and 2011 would be misleading. Still the fact that Pakistans HDI value of 0.504 in 2011 places the country in the group of countries with "low human development" serves a stark reminder of the level of inequity and social injustice that is prevalent in the country today. In fact, when this tally is "discounted for inequality" the HDI value falls by another 30 percent. When compared to the South Asian region as a whole; Pakistan ranks lower in terms of life expectancy at birth, expected years of schooling, GNI per capita as well as the overall HDI value. The harsh tidings of this report underscore the fact that contrary to popular diatribes over political ramblings and border tensions, the biggest problems confronting the nation today stem from the inequitable distribution of resources and the dismal state of the provision of basic amenities and utilities to the public. While social safety nets such as monthly transfers to the poor have an important role to play in supporting the most vulnerable segments of the population, it is clear that in a situation where 27.4 percent of the population is facing "severe poverty", handouts to a few are woefully inadequate. One hopes that this report which was recently presented at a moot in Islamabad will find its way to the floor of the assembly so that legislators eager to stir debate can spare some thoughts for the state of the masses as well.

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REGIONAL COMPARISON HDI VALUES
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                            Pakistan     India   South Asia   Low HDI
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GII value                     0.573      0.617      0.601       0.606
GII rank                        115        129        -             -
Maternal mortality ratio        260        230       252          532
Adolescent fertility rate      31.6       86.3      77.4         98.2
Female seats in parliament       21       10.7      12.5         18.2
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Source: UNDP