National Human Development Report

More than 540 national and sub-national HDRs have been produced so far by 135 countries, in addition to 31 regional reports.

They have introduced the human development concept into national policy dialogue — not only through human development indicators and policy recommendations but also through the country-led and country-owned process of consultation, research and report writing.

Data that is often not published elsewhere, such as statistics disaggregated by geographic location, ethnic group or along rural/urban lines, help pinpoint development gaps, measure progress and flag early warning signs of possible conflict.

As advocacy tools designed to appeal to a wide audience, the reports also spur lively public debates and mobilize support for action and change.

They have helped to articulate people’s perceptions and priorities, as well as serve as a resource of alternate policy opinion for development planning.