Nepal
Nepal has climbed one spot up to 143 in the human development index ranking of 191 countries, reports the United Nations Development Programme.
The index placed the country "in the medium human development category" with 0.602 HDI, life expectancy at birth 68.4 and expected years of schooling 12.9. Nepal was in the 144th spot in the 2020 edition of the index, among 189 countries.
The HDI is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living.
Switzerland, Norway and Iceland all retain their positions at the top of the ranking, while Niger, Chad, South Sudan sit at the bottom in the HDI’s measurement of national achievements in health, education and income.
Within South Asia, Sri Lanka ranks in the 73rd position with 0.782 HDI.
Meanwhile Nepal's neighbouring country India ranks in the 132nd spot with 0.633 HDI. Afghanistan ranks on the low human development index in the 180 position with 0.478 HDI.
Out of the 191 countries for which the HDI is calculated, 66 countries are in the very high human development group and 31 countries fall in the low HDI group as per the UN report.
Between 1990 and 2021, Nepal’s HDI value changed from 0.399 to 0.602, a change of 50.9 per cent.
Between 1990 and 2021, Nepal’s life expectancy at birth changed by 13.6 years, mean years of schooling changed by 2.8 years and expected years of schooling changed by 5.4 years, states a press release issued by UNDP.
Nepal’s GNI per capita changed by about 146.0 per cent between 1990 and 2021.
Nepal stands at 113th position in global Gender Inequality Index. The Gender Inequality Index measures gender inequalities (the loss in human development due to inequality between female and male achievements) in three key dimensions – reproductive health, empowerment, and labour market.
The 2021 female HDI value for Nepal is 0.584 in contrast with 0.621 for males, resulting in a GDI value of 0.942, placing it into Group 3 which comprises countries with medium equality in HDI achievements between women and men.
Records show during 2019 and 2020, Nepal’s performance was comparatively low in the areas, including maternal mortality, shares of parliamentary seats held by women, and women’s participation in the labour force.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal said: "The current rating shows that Nepal is progressing in the Human Development Index and ranking, but we must work harder to progress further. We must invest in the areas of education, health, renewable energy, agriculture to build a resilient Nepal during the report presentation in the Capital on September 12."
The report was presented by Dr Swarnim Wagle, Chief Economic Advisor, UNDP Asia and the Pacific.
Other speakers at the launch were Yuba Raj Khatiwada, former finance minister of Nepal; Pippa Bird, development director at British Embassy in Nepal; Sushil Bhatta, CEO of Investment Board Nepal; Yubika Bhandari, secretary at the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents; Moushumi Shrestha, entrepreneur.
