The gap between high-income and low-income countries is growing — reversing a two-decade trend of progress that in 2020, came to a screeching halt.
That’s according to data released by the United Nations Development Programme in its latest Human Development Index, or HDI, a report that tracks progress by assessing life expectancy, education levels, and income. This year’s findings showed a gridlock of progress in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Despite our deeply interconnected global societies, we are falling short,” said Achim Steiner, head of UNDP, in a press release. “This gridlock carries a significant human toll.”