Resources

World Development Challenges Report: Development from a broader lens

ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL6.GCP/2022/1


Country: Arab region

Publication Type: Reports & studies

Cluster: Governance and Conflict Prevention

Focus Area: 2030 Agenda, Inclusive development

Initiatives: Development challenges

SDGs: Agenda 2030

Keywords: Development, Governance, Sustainable development, Developing countries, Indexes, Human development, Health, Knowledge-based economy, Education, Labour market

World Development Challenges Report: Development from a Broader Lens

October 2022

The current development landscape is very different from what it was three decades ago. Some challenges, such as inequality and governance, have lingered or deepened. Others, such as sustainability and global pandemics, have emerged or resurfaced. Moreover, even though many developing countries have made quantitative achievements on various basic development goals over the past few decades, persistent deficits remain in the quality of those achievements.

Accordingly, this report proposes a new global Development Challenges Index (DCI) that measures shortfalls in achievements in three key and interdependent areas: quality-adjusted human development, environmental sustainability and good governance. The report proposes a four-pronged action plan that cuts across the three components of the DCI. This plan includes strengthening environmental and health systems to improve healthy life outcomes, building knowledge-based economies with integrated education and labour market systems, establishing strong links between government effectiveness and democratic governance, and prioritizing the most challenged countries.

Related content
2030 Agenda , Inclusive development ,
arrow-up icon
Feedback