H&WB in a global context

4.1.1-4.1.6

human development elements

• lead long and healthy lives

• participate in the life of the community

• lead productive, creative lives according to their needs and interests

• have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living (housing, reliable food & water supply)

• participate in the decisions that affect their lives

• have access to knowledge and expand their choices and capabilities

HDI

A tool developed by the United Nations to measure and rank countries' levels of social and economic development.

It provides a single statistic based on the 3 dimensions (a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living) and 4 indicators (life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling and gross national income per capita).

what HDI measures

HDI is a simple composite measure of a nations longevity, education, and income and is widely accepted in development discourse

HDI 3 dimensions

• a long and healthy life

• knowledge

• a decent standard of living

HDI 4 indicators

• life expectancy at birth

• mean years of schooling

• expected years of schooling

• Gross National Income per capita

HDI advantages

• Takes more than just average incomes into account, therefore providing more comprehensive representation of the level of human development experiences than GNI.

• Provides a single statistic relating to the 3 dimensions & 4 indicators. This makes comparison easier, as numerous statistics do not have to be sorted through and compared.

• Is collected and published each year, making it effective for analysing progress that is made by countries over time.

• Has captured the attention of the media, policy makers, communities and individuals, therefore it holds countries accountable for their progress on human development.

HDI limitations

• Human development is a complex concept and HDI cannot capture all aspects, e.g. freedom of speech, social participation and access to resources

• HDI is based on averages, so it doesn’t take into account the inequalities within countries, such as differences between urban and rural areas.

• No survey data is collected, so peoples feelings about the issues in their lives and communities is not reflected.

• Collecting data is complex and reliability is a challenge, as different definitions and methods of measurements might be used. Data is often collected on a national level, making comparisons within countries difficult.

classifying countries

we use Gross National Income per capita (average income) to classify countries. The World Bank is responsible for managing this system and updates the classifications each year in July (in line with the financial year).

high income GNI per capita

>$13846 USD

middle income GNI per capita

$1135-$13846 USD

low income GNI per capita

<$1135 USD

variations within countries

Variations within countries:

Low-income (28)  e.g. Chad, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Togo

Lower middle-income (5.4) e.g. Cambodia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea

Upper middle-income (5.4) e.g. China, Cuba, Fiji, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Türkiye, Russian Federation

High-income (81) e.g. Australia, Canada, Chile, Greece, Irland, Japan, USA, United Kingdom

life expectancy (s&d)

Similarity: life expectancy has increased in most countries over time (low, middle and high income)

Difference: life expectancy is higher in high-income countries than in low and middle income countries

mortality & morbidity

child mortality & morbidity:

undernutrition is a key contributor to high rates of mortality and morbidity for children in low income countries who are undernourished and have underdeveloped immune systems and struggle to fight off diseases

global child mortality rates have decreased significantly over time with the occurrence of childhood deaths in low and middle income countries. the lack of quality healthcare and high rates of food insecurity play a key role.

 Communicable diseases such as diarrhoeal diseases, malaria, HIV and AIDS cause few deaths in Australia, but they have huge impact in low and middle income countries.

Child mortality in high-income countries is more often associated with congenital malformations, premature births and accidental injuries or poisoning.

maternal mortality

maternal mortality rates are much higher in low and some middle income countries than in high income countries

lack of access to quality maternal healthcare and factors associated with gender inequality can contribute to this trend.

burden of disease

low and middle income countries experience a greater burden of disease and higher rates of DALY than high income countries

factors that contribute to similarities & differences in health status and human development

access to safe water, sanitation, poverty and discrimination

how access to safe water affects health status

waterborne diseases: gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera

under nutrition: constant contaminations of diarrhoea caused by waterborne diseases result to further under nutrition and reduced functioning and weakening of immune system, meaning individuals are more likely to contract a second infection and death can be a result

stragnent