By: Bilal Tariq
Whenever there has been a public discourse on our mainstream channels or in public or private institutions about how to overcome our contemporary challenges some eye-catching issues are brought up, like corruption, taxation, religious extremism, terrorism, rupee devaluation, fiscal deficit among others. Although each of them is a very salient issue and we must have discussions on these topics, the importance of human development is often neglected in these discussions which is the main essence to figure out whether a nation or a society is thriving or not. We hear our human development index is declining and our state is not putting much effort to tackle this matter.
We have seen over the years that Pakistan’s human development index is staggeringly poor and no serious measures are taken by our governments to tackle these issues. We have always taught that Pakistan has enormous opportunities because of the growing population we have. It’s naivety to say that a youth bulge will ensure that a nation will prosper. According to the United Nations Development Programme’s National Human Development Survey, the country currently exhibits the fifth-largest youth population worldwide; where roughly half of its population is below 25 years old while around 64 percent falls below the age of 30.
This immense opportunity comes with countless challenges. Few months ago, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) published another report which states that Human Development Index (HDI) value of 0.540 and global ranking of 164 out of 193 countries. In the 2021/2022 Report Pakistan had a Human Development Index (HDI) value of 0.544 with a global ranking of 161 out of 191 countries. If we compare ourselves within our region India’s HDI value for 2022 is 0.644 positioning it at 134 out of 193 countries and territories. Bangladesh is even better situated at 129th with 0.670 points while Sri Lanka, ranked 78th, is the top in South Asia with 0.780 points. Afghanistan is at the bottom in the region at 182nd with 0.462 points. It will be abysmal to compare ourselves with Afghanistan, a country which was at war for the last four decades.
So that was only some numbers and what does it mean? How working on some index will ensure sustainable development? Human Development Index (HDI) is the average development in education, health and the standard of living. The main root of every problem is linked with these three main factors, specifically health and education. Based on the Data compiled by UNICEF Pakistan has the second highest number of out-of-school children.
An estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 are out-of-school. And the students who are getting education specifically in the public sector didn’t match the standards of the, modern world. For instance, according to a study carried out by P@SHA every year approximately 25000 I.T students graduate from institutions across the country.
But it disturbs when our mainstream media and state officials tells you that the menstrual cycle of women or the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan will be ensured by banning Twitter and introducing a Firewall, which is the only concern the state should deal with if we want to find ourselves in the list of happy nations.
Most of them are from public universities. Out of 25000 students only 2500 are employable which makes only 10 percent% of total number. How will we be able to compete in this digital world with these numbers? Forget for a second the world, compare these numbers within the region and you will find yourself astonisheddition at how far we are left out.
Other than that, our health indicators have remained pretty disturbing over the decades. From 2011-2020 only 2-3 percent of our total GDP was invested in the health care sector. Most of the amount from this minute percentage is served to pay the salaries and pensions of the workers. According to report published by UNICEF, nearly 10 million Pakistani children suffer from stunting.
A few months back a student from Punjab University died due to drinking the hostel’s dirty water. Each year, Pakistan endures a staggering burden of diarrheal disease, affecting 100 million people. The underlying cause is the presence of harmful pathogens – viruses, bacteria, and protozoa – within the contaminated groundwater supply, resulting in a devastating fatality toll of 2.5 million. Only two or three health-related concerns are mentioned above. You can enlist dozens of dozen health care problems om which work should be done immediately otherwise that ticking bomb may blast.
When your society is filled with such hideous mismanagements and problems. the instinctive thought comes to mind that the government, state institutions and the other authorities who are supposedly governing the nation must be in extreme tension by thinking how to leverage such disastrous problems? How can we live up to the expectation of a common man?
But it disturbs when our mainstream media and state officials tells you that the menstrual cycle of women or the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan will be ensured by banning Twitter and introducing a Firewall, which is the only concern the state should deal with if we want to find ourselves in the list of happy nations.
The writer is a freelance columnist.
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