Human Development Foundation

What is Human Development?

(The following introduction to the Human Development Concept is adapted from the late Dr. Mahbub ul Haq's book "Reflections on Human Development." We at HDF are immensely indebted to Dr. Mahbub ul Haq and Mrs. Khadija Haq, not only for introducing us to this concept, but also for their support and guidance in our endeavor. May Allah reward them for their commitment to the welfare of humanity.)

The human development paradigm is a holistic development model. It embraces every development issue including economic growth, social investment, people's empowerment, the provision of basic needs and social safety nets, political and cultural freedom and all other aspects of people's lives. While no aspect of the development model falls outside its scope, the vantage point is the widening of people's choices and the enhancement of their lives. All aspects of life - economic, political and cultural are viewed from that perspective.

There is fairly broad agreement on certain aspects of the human development paradigm.

• Development must put people at the center of its concerns.
• The purpose of development is to enlarge all human choices, not just income.
• The human development paradigm is concerned both with building up human capabilities through investment in people and with using those human capabilities fully through and enabling framework for growth and empowerment.
• Human development has four essential pillars: equity, sustainability, production and empowerment.
• The human development paradigm defines the ends of development and analyses sensible options for achieving them.

“In the last analysis Human Development is a child who did not die, a disease that did not spread, an ethnic tension that did not explode, a dissident who was not silenced, a human spirit that was not crushed.” - Dr. Mahbub ul Haq

Why it is relevant in today’s world?

Visionaries throughout human history have dreamed of a world at peace where all human beings will live in harmony. But that dream has not materialized despite all our technological advances and achievements, even though we as human beings can be truly proud of them.

The end of cold war produced new hope for world peace amid widespread discussions of the “peace dividend”, i.e. the freeing up of resources that had been devoted to military build up. Although many hoped that this “peace dividend” would be used to advance the well being of those at the lowest end of the human development paradigm, that hope has not never been realized.

Since the shocking events of 9/11, and those that followed it, believable images of peace have become even more elusive. War and conflict, though as old as human history itself, seems to have become even more violent as it increasingly targets the most vulnerable civilians, and as more and more children become engulfed in the deathly spiral of violence without boundaries. Increasingly we see a vicious cycle where human development is diminished by conflict, and diminishing human development promotes yet more conflict. It is this cycle that HDF can break by helping people build their own grassroots capability for peace and social development.

Of course the causes of war and peace are multi-dimensional and we cannot claim that elevating the status of human development will provide a panacea to every conflict in the world. But let us not shirk our responsibility by denying the power of Human Development. By offering hope for a better future, by empowering people, and by developing understanding and acceptance of other points of view we will take real, definite steps towards world peace. .

Why do we need a movement?

We could easily say that the goals of Human Development are too lofty, and that average people are not equipped to shoulder this responsibility. And certainly we must acknowledge the many spheres of action that are controlled by national governments and even international powerbrokers. But we will miss the lessons of history if we underestimate the power of individuals when joined together for any cause.

All cultures, religions, and philosophies talk of love, love for other human beings. If love is the strongest motivating force, then let it join people in a movement of human development for the people, by the people, in partnership with the people. Let us proclaim our ultimate goal of bringing humanity together, and let all of our actions be guided by the saying, “If one human being suffers, the whole of humanity suffers.”

Step up and take action to support all human development initiatives, anywhere in the world. Let us strengthen each other through our words and actions and through the use of our resources. Those who run national governments and the international powerbrokers themselves are, after all, human beings. They ultimately face the same fate as the rest of humanity. Their opinions can be changed, altered or modified if we work diligently, consistently and in unity.

"Future changes will not depend exclusively on government. Instead they will come primarily from the actions of people at the grassroots, people who will hold their leaders increasingly accountable...The age of the people may have finally arrived..." - Dr. Mahbub ul Haq

Why should you join the movement?

When indeed shall we learn that we are all related one to another, that we are all members of one body? Until the spirit of love for our fellow men, regardless of race, color or creed, shall fill the world, making real in our lives and our deeds the actuality of human brotherhood - until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other’s welfare, social justice can never be achieved.
- Helen Keller (1880-1968)

We invite you to join hands with HDF and help advance Human Development, the movement “for positive social change and community empowerment”.

Date/Time Last Modified: 3/7/2005 11:42:15 AM

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