ASIA - Health and education: the paths to progress

Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) – The fight against poverty and underdevelopment, in Asia and in other parts of the world, is not only overcome through a growth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but in an increase in access to health and education. This is what the international association “Social Watch” is showing in its new annual report entitled “Rights is the Answer.” Social Watch has developed a new method for measuring the social and economic conditions of the world population: the Basic Capabilities Index (BCI), for analyzing the state of healthcare and level of basic education in 176 countries.
By not using income, the BCI is consistent with the definitions of poverty based on the deprivation of
capabilities and the denial of human rights. The BCI is based on three indicators: percentage of children who reach fifth grade, survival until the 5th year of age (based on mortality among children under five) and percentage of deliveries attended by skilled health personnel. The scale ranges from 100 (optimum performance) to 50 (worrisome).
Among the Asian nations that the report finds in critical conditions are: Bangladesh (BCI = 57), Laos (BCI = 58), East Timor (BCI = 60), Pakistan (BCI = 64), Nepal (BCI = 65), countries where social inequality is on the rise. The following are at very low levels: Cambodia (BCI = 66), India (BCI =71) Myanmar (BCI = 76), Philippines (BCI =77), where government efforts to insure justice, equality, and freedom – for various reasons – have been insufficient.
In the countries where evolution can be measured since 2000, only 21 have seen noteworthy progress, while many countries in Central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have taken steps backwards.
At the present rate of things, the Millennium Development Goals established on an international level will not be reached by 2015, at least while no substantial intervention is made, says the Report.
Social Watch maintains that a key value is “dignity for all,” formulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In response to the financial, food, energy, and climate crises, Social Watch is calling for a new approach based on rights and an extensive international conference to reanalyze the system of governing the economy.
Social Watch is a network of 400 non-government organizations and associations with members in over 80 countries. It was created in 1995, as a “meeting place” for organizations who work towards government investment in social development policies. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/2/2009)