Key Topics in Lecture 6

1. Human Development Index (HDI)

• Definition: A composite measure of human development, reflecting achievements in:

  1. Health (life expectancy)

  2. Education (mean and expected years of schooling)

  3. Standard of living (Gross National Income per capita)

• The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of these dimensions.

2. Education Index (EI)

• Definition: A measure combining:

  1. Mean Years of Schooling Index (MYSI): Average years of schooling for adults.

  2. Expected Years of Schooling Index (EYSI): Expected years of schooling for children.

• Formula: EI = (MYSI + EYSI) / 2

🚺 II. Gender Equality and Gender Inequality Metrics

1. Gender Equality Concepts

• Definition: Equal access to resources, opportunities, and rights for all genders.

• Aspects of Gender Equality:

  • 📚 Equal Access: To education, employment, and career growth.

  • ⚖ Equal Opportunities: Participation in decision-making and leadership.

  • 🏡 Equal Responsibilities: Shared household and childcare duties.

  • 🚫 Freedom from Violence: Protection from gender-based violence and coercion.

2. Gender Inequality Statistics & Time Projections:

• Women still face major inequalities globally:

  • 💰 Earn 23% less than men in labor markets.

  • 🏡 Spend 3 times more hours in unpaid domestic work than men.

  • ⚠ Experience violence, exploitation, and underrepresentation in leadership.

Projected Time to Close Key Gender Gaps:

• 300 years to end child marriage.

• 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws.

• 140 years for equal representation in corporate leadership.

• 47 years for equal representation in national parliaments.

3. Gender Inequality Index (GII)

• Definition: A composite measure of gender-based disadvantage using three dimensions:

  1. Reproductive Health: Maternal mortality and adolescent birth rates.

  2. Empowerment: Representation in parliament and educational attainment.

  3. Labor Market: Participation rates of men and women.

• Resource: 🌐 Gender Inequality Index – UNDP

💧 III. Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6)

1. Current Global Water Crisis (2022):

• 2.2 billion people lacked safely managed drinking water (700 million had no basic service).

• 3.5 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation (1.5 billion had no basic sanitation).

• 2 billion people lacked basic handwashing facilities (653 million had none at all).

2. Steps to Improve Water Access:

• 💧 Investments in infrastructure and sanitation facilities.

• 🌱 Protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems.

• 🧼 Hygiene education campaigns.

3. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Performance Index

• Definition: A comparison of country performance on:

  1. Water access and equity

  2. Sanitation access and equity

• Resource: 🌐 WASH Performance Index – USAID

4. WASH Needs Index

• Definition: Scores countries from 0 to 1 to prioritize those in greatest need of WASH programming.

• Principle Law: Water for the World Act (2014), which builds on the Water for the Poor Act (2005) and mandates prioritization of high-need countries for WASH projects.

⚡ IV. Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7)

1. Current Global Energy Access:

• From 2015 to 2021, global access to electricity rose to 90%.

• However, 675 million people still lacked electricity in 2021.

2. Actions Required for Clean Energy:

• ☀ Invest in renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro power.

• ⚡ Accelerate electrification efforts, especially in remote areas.

• 🏗 Expand energy infrastructure and upgrade technologies in developing regions.

• 🌿 Improve energy efficiency and reduce waste.

• 📜 Develop enabling policies and regulatory frameworks to promote clean energy adoption.

💼 VI. Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)

1. Definition of Decent Work:

• Decent work means:

  • 💰 Fair income and productive employment.

  • 🛡 Workplace security and social protection for families.

  • 📈 Opportunities for career growth and social inclusion.

2. Definition of Economic Growth:

• Economic Growth: The increase in an economy's capacity to produce goods and services over time.

  • Traditionally measured by:
    📊 Gross National Product (GNP)
    📊 Gross Domestic Product (GDP)