Human Development Reports

HD-MDG Community of Practice19-21 May 2008

Bratislava, Slovakia www.hdr.undp.org/nhdr

Discussion Topics

• HDR Impact• Corporate Principles• Time-line • Practical Challenges

HDRs

49

110

156

221

95

Over 600 HDRs since 1992

RBEC

Asia PacificArab States

Africa

Latin America Caribbean

HDRs on what themes?Africa:HIV/AIDS, governance, environment, poverty

Asia:gender, agriculture, democracy

Latin America: social capital, people’s participation, vulnerability

Arab States:mostly general

Eastern Europe/CIS countries: role of state, market transition, ICT, social

inclusion, education, human security, climate change

HDRs

• Civil society campaigns established• HD Curricula adopted• Increased donor funding targeting human

development priorities• Prominent media coverage on human

development issues• Institutional Reforms• Demand for human development data • Budget allocations prioritise HD initiatives• National policies revised to reflect the

needs of the poorest• National capacity increased

HDR Impact

NHDR Impacts

National, Regional, and sub-NationalHuman Development Report Process

• An advocacy and capacity development process for which the actual report is only one important element

• generate political attention and public debate

around people’s priorities• identify data gaps, measure progress• offer analysis and policy options can

contribute to achievement of the MDGs• Focus on equity, efficiency,

empowerment, sustainabilty

HDRs

HDR Principles

UNDP CORPORATE POLICY ON HDRS: SIX PRINCIPLES FOR IMPACT

1. National ownership2. Participatory and inclusive preparation process3. Independence of analysis4. Quality of data and analysis5. Flexibility and creativity in presentation 6. Sustained follow-up

Minimum Standards

National ownership:Is the report nationally driven and owned?Does it reflect national perspectives, including thorough recommendations linked to the country’s development plans and policies?Does it rely primarily on national expertise and capacities?Is preparation participatory, building national credibility and ownership?

Minimum Standards

Participatory and inclusive preparation:

Is the team multidisciplinary, drawing on perspectives and expertise from diverse groups?

Do consultation, research and writing involve participatory mechanisms at various stages (steering committees, readers’ groups, seminars)?

Has a two-way interaction been established between the HDR process and UNDP’s work on building partnerships and developing capacity?

Minimum Standards

Independence of analysis:Does the report contain objective and reliable

analysis as well as accurate and unbiased data, and avoid support for the policies or politics of any one group or institution?

Do the author(s) take responsibility for the report’s point of view and exercise full editorial independence?

Does the editorial team represent a spectrum of perspectives?

Was the full draft of the report peer reviewed?

Minimum Standards: Analysis

Quality of analysis:Does the report adopt a people-centered analytical

approach throughout?

Does it draw on multi-disciplinary analysis to address issues of equity, efficiency, empowerment, and sustainability?

Does it contain concrete and realistic policy messages?

Is there a disaggregated HDI and other data that offer empirical evidence and highlight inequalities?

Has the report considered the economic dimension of human development in analysis and recommendations?

Minimum Standards: AdvocacySustained follow-up:

Is a follow-up strategy planned, using advocacy and communication expertise? does it aim to keep the report’s messages sustained beyond the launch?

Does the report contain specific policy messages to focus political attention and public debate?

Has a proactive marketing and dissemination plan been developed so key messages will reach the intended audience and contribute to policy impacts?

Timeline – 2 years

• Preparations – 6 months Theme Selection, Partnerships and Resource

Mobilization, Building the Team, Training and Orientation, Advocacy Planning

• Research and Writing – 6-12 months Data, Analysis, Drafting Consultation, Capacity Development,

Advocacy• Production – 3 months Editing, Design, Translation, Publishing• Launch and Follow-up – years and

years Dissemination, Advocacy, Resource

Mobilization, Programming, Monitoring

Thank You!

HDR Challenges

• National ownership and UNDP• National ownership and high

quality analysis• National ownership and objective independent analysis • Financial, technical, institutional and time constraints

Budget allocations prioritise HD initiatives

Report looks at current local development and identifies ways to increase participation

National and series of 7 sub-national Governorate HDRs provides disaggregated data across 451 sub-administrative units

IMPACT: Governorates now use the HDI to target the 58 lowest ranking sub-administrative units.

Egypt HDR 2003: Local Participatory Development

Resource Allocations

Budget allocations prioritise HD initiatives

• Equitable decentralisation policies can repair legacy of centralised policies

• New Extended Human Development Index (infant mortality, unemployment)

• Disaggregated across provincesIMPACT: EHDI used to better target marginalized groups and allocate resources related to education and health services.

Argentina HDR 2002: Contributions to HD

Resource Allocations

Bolivia HDR 2004• The 2004 Bolivia HDR looked at issues of

globalization and culture, including recommendations for better distributing wealth from the country’s large natural gas reserves, using ICT for Human Development and supporting multi-culturalism. It used a qualitative survey of 3600 people and produced 60 national radio programs. 60% of all Bolivian radio-listeners have discussed the report with friends and families. The Government is using the report to formulate a National ICT Strategy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is using the reports for a Border Development Strategy.