Social Innovation for Inclusive Human Development 

The purpose of this Human Development Report entitled “Social Innovation for Inclusive Human Development” is to explore policy options to help address the upcoming challenges through innovations in social policies and public administration.

China’s unique national conditions make it difficult to use precedents as reference or to duplicate international experience. Thus this report, based on experience and lessons, especially the experience of social innovation, makes suggestions to improve human development that is more inclusive with a reduced level of inequality.

These suggestions include innovation of policy itself and recommendations for reform of the implementa­tion mechanisms and governance pattern in specific sectors. The ultimate goal is to help the government to: continue the development-oriented social policies towards more inclusiveness and fairness; enhance efficiency by changing orientation and management of public investment; and improve mechanisms and capacity of social participation.

Beijing, 22 August—China has made great progress in human development, yet must continue deepening its reforms and encouraging social innovation to ensure that human development is inclusive and equal and benefits all members in society, says the United Nations Development Programme in its 2016 Human Development Report, launched today in Beijing.

The Report, entitled “Social Innovation for Inclusive Human Development”, explores the development challenges of China, where progress has come with increased inequalities and disparities, and provides policy options to address them through innovation on social policies and public governance.

The report is a flagship publication commissioned by UNDP, focusing on pressing global development issues and providing policy recommendations. The 2016 report is developed by UNDP China along with a distinguished team of Chinese and International experts, with research support from the Development Research Centre of the State Council (DRC).

“To shed more light on China’s human development is important to promote China’s inclusiveness, and also allow lessons to be drawn from China on poverty reduction, universal education and social security systems, which provide invaluable experience to other developing countries”, said Haoliang Xu, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Director for Asia and the Pacific.

The report calls for China to use ‘social innovation’ to increase inclusive development, which stresses that it is not only necessary to enhance the average level of human development but also pursue more equal human development, narrowing the gap between different regions, groups and genders. In addition, social policy needs to be more targeted, with a focus on inclusiveness in social protection and an increase in public participation.

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By Haoliang Xu, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Director for Asia and the Pacific

“To shed more light on China’s human development is important to promote China’s inclusiveness, and also allow lessons to be drawn from China on poverty reduction, universal education and social security systems, which provide invaluable experience to other developing countries”

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