On the human development index

Alvin Concha | Sociology of Development | MASOR Gender Studies | Ateneo de Davao University
Submitted to Dr Mae Ursos | 26 November 2005

Over time, the concept of development has gone through an evolution. The notion of
development as centered in the increase of gross domestic product was very dominant in
the middle of the 20th century. At that time, physical capital was seen as the primary
capital that a person can have in order to be able to contribute to development. Within the
1970’s and 1980’s, alleviation of poverty was regarded as the primary goal of
development and human capital (not merely physical) was thought to be the key resource
in order for the state to develop. From the 1990’s onwards, newer notions of development
have placed lesser emphasis on economy and have accommodated goals of human
entitlements and human rights. Knowledge (culture) and social relations have been
increasingly recognized as capitals that are as important as income.1 Today, human
development is aptly defined as a “process of enabling people to have wider choices.”2

The human development index (HDI), as presented in the 2005 Philippine Human
Development Report, integrated measures of life expectancy (to account for long and
healthy life), simple literacy and enrolment ratios (to account for knowledge) and per
capita income (to account for decent economic standard of living).3 While knowledge,
health and economic conditions are accounted for in the HDI, I cannot, at face value,
appreciate that human rights and important human entitlements have been factored in.
For one, the HDI does not directly account for threats to human security. As we can
clearly imagine, when human security is not taken care of, people are disabled from
having wider choices in life. Hence, it would follow that human development would not
be easily attainable. Moreover, I find life expectancy as an indicator of health to be rather
simplistic. Longevity is not always tantamount to living a life of guarded human rights,
granted entitlements and well-addressed health needs. In the realm of reproductive health,
for instance, access to health services that enable men and women to choose means by
which they can control reproduction (a basic human right4) is not reflected in life
expectancy or HDI.

It is not difficult to envisage that gender roles provide a lot of room for discrimination of
persons and violation of human rights. Sexuality, as an expression of personality in
relation to one’s sex, carries the same vulnerabilities as gender roles. These sociological
factors are important because they are susceptible to forces that disable people to have
wider choices in at least a few aspects of life. As a student in Gender Studies, my
personal agenda for this subject, Sociology of Development, would be to locate gender
roles and sexuality in the indices of human development. I believe that if we take stock of
these factors, we will have greatly ensured that individual persons live a better life as the
society develops.
1
From my notes on Jean Illo’s lecture on Gender and Development.
2
Balisacan, A. Update on the human development index. Lecture during the launch of the 2005 Philippine Human
Development Report.
3
Human Development Network (2005). Philippine human development report 2005. HDN, UNDP, NZAID.
4
United Nations (1994). International conference on population and development. Program of action. United Nations.