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Health, education, security, identity and freedom are aspects of human
development that are all clearly related to economic development, yet
go well beyond it. Dramatic differences in access to these important human
needs are a feature of the contemporary global scene. Impoverishment and
inequity are critical problems for the poorer countries but conspicuous
pockets exist even in the richest countries. As the world grows more interconnected,
these forces affect everyone directly or indirectly, through immigration
pressure, geopolitical instability, environmental degradation and constraints
on global economic opportunity.
The United Nations, World Bank, International Labour Organization (ILO)
and International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently set out specific international
development goals for poverty reduction, universal primary education,
gender equality, infant and child mortality, maternal mortality, reproductive
health and the environment. Achieving these goals depends on: 'Stronger
voices for the poor, economic stability and growth that favours the poor,
basic social services for all, open markets for trade and technology,
and enough development resources, used well' (IMF and others 2000).
Among obstacles to achieving these goals are: 'weak governance; bad policies;
human rights abuses; conflicts; natural disasters, and other external
shocks. The spread of HIV/AIDS. The failure to address inequities in income,
education and access to health care, and the inequalities between men
and women. But there is more. Limits on developing country access to global
markets, the burden of debt, the decline in development aid and, sometimes,
inconsistencies in donor policies also hinder faster progress' (IMF and
others 2000).
Policy First and Sustainability First place emphasis on
meeting basic needs and providing the resources to meet them, even where
this may hinder shortterm economic growth. In Sustainability First,
relatively more of the provision of basic needs comes from groups outside
the public sector, both businesses and nongovernmental organizations.
In Markets First, these issues are not addressed to the same extent,
as it is taken for granted that economic development naturally leads to
social improvement. In addition, more of the facilities that have traditionally
been provided as public services are privatized. These trends are even
more pronounced in Security First, accompanied by greater inequality
in terms of access. Where new funds, whether public or private, are invested
in development, physical security increasingly takes precedence over social
welfare.
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