The Human Development Report (HDR) is the flagship report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Launched in 1990 with the aim of “putting people back at the center of the development process”, the Report is translated into more than a dozen languages and launched in over a hundred countries every year. Kevin has headed the office responsible for the report since 2004.
The HDR has expanded since its launch. Four new composite indices for human development have been added - the Human Development Index, the Gender-related Development Index, the Gender Empowerment Measure, and the Human Poverty Index - and every one focuses on a highly topical theme in the current development debate. Part of the work of the Human Development Report Office (HDRO) focuses on providing analysis and policy recommendations relating to a range of human development issues. These can make uncomfortable reading for some. “Northern governments need to ask for a lot less and give a lot more. Instead of demanding deep liberalization in developing countries, they should be offering deep liberalization in their own backyards”. Kevin said. Other areas of HDRO operations are in human rights training and the publication of national human development reports.
The HDR 2006 focuses on water and human development. “At any one time, close to half the population of the developing world is suffering from water-related diseases. These rob people of their health, destroy their livelihoods, and undermine education potential”. Said Kevin, adding, “The iconic image of a woman carrying water belies a more brutal reality, try carrying a 20-litre bucket of water for four miles in the baking sun”. A key element of the HDRO’s work is stakeholder negotiation and networking with civil society and non-governmental organizations. “I really want to say how helpful and important our network discussions have been, and to emphasize how seriously they are taken by the Human Development Report Office”. Kevin asserted.
Before joining the HDRO, Kevin worked with Oxfam UK, ultimately as the organization’s Head of Research. He also managed the team behind Oxfam’s education and trade advocacy campaign. In addition to working with HDRO, he is a board member of the Center for Global Development, UNICEF’s Innocenti Center, and the Journal of International Development. He holds a PhD from Oxford University, focusing on modern Indian history.
The HDRO will continue to focus its work on providing accurate development statistics and information. In the immediate future, the HDRO will provide an updated analysis of progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, looking at which regions are likely to meet the goals, which are falling behind, and identifying ‘priority countries’ - countries that need special attention in order to meet the goals. “Failure in any one area will undermine the foundations for future progress,” said Kevin. “More effective rules in international trade will count for little in countries where violent conflict undermines opportunities to participate in trade. Increased aid without fairer trade rules will deliver sub-optimal results. And peace will remain a fragile entity without the prospects for improved human welfare and poverty reduction that can be provided through aid and trade”.
