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Nepal's HDI improves slightly, UNDP report reveals
Nepal’s HDI performance has been satisfactory in improving human development ranking 145th out of 187 countries in 2014, according to the Human Development Report released in Tokyo Thursday.The HDI value is 0.540, which is the highest among the “Low Human Development” category. In South Asia, Nepal is above Pakistan (146) and Afghanistan (169). Sri Lanka has the highest HDI ranking in South Asia with 73rd in ranking and the only country in south Asia under “High Human Development” category.
Progress in education and income indicators have contributed to this achievement, the UNDP says. The report also states that Nepal also improved its ranking in Gender Development Index (GDI) - currently 98th from 102 in 2013.
Staggering rates of poverty, high inequality and frequent natural disasters and crises threaten the progress of human development in Asia and the Pacific.
Addressing these challenges requires a host of initiatives, including universal provision of social services and a strong system of social security benefits, the UNDP suggests.