The theme laid out in the 2022 Human Development Report (HDR) is “Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives” and reflects concerns that despite gains in incomes and improvements in living standards over time, the question is whether people feel safer, more equal and happier. Although there are concerns after the effects of COVID-19, the 2022 report highlights that there is a lot of hope and optimism for the future if we continue to make changes now in building people's capacity, protecting the planet, reducing conflict, and improving partnerships. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) flagship report highlights that there is still a huge amount of opportunity and benefit from investing in people to improve opportunities especially for the poor, women and young people.

The purpose of the 2022 Human Development Report is to measure the progress of human capacity in several relevant areas. As in previous analysis, it seeks to go beyond purely income measures. Its goal is to place people at the centre of the development process in terms of the debate on policy and the alternatives we have. Development is characterized by the provision of choices and freedoms resulting in widespread outcomes.

In the Pacific, 10 countries are covered in the 2022 analysis.  According to the Human Development Index, Fiji, Palau Tonga, and Samoa show the highest human development outcomes and are in the high human development group. The Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are in the medium human development group, with the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Nauru did not have enough data available.

Movements in HDI are driven by changes in health, education and income. Despite continued steady progress for most Pacific countries prior to COVID-19, after two years of having closed borders and weaker supply-chains, compared to 2019, there has been a backward movement in the rankings for most Pacific countries; excluding gains recorded in Tonga and Tuvalu. This has been a global trend and the report identified that the HDI has declined globally for two years in a row. Overall, human development has fallen back to its 2016 levels, reversing much of the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. For much of the Pacific, HDI values sit around the levels of 2015.

In terms of specific results, the Pacific is a region of great variation. For example, per capita national income, adjusted for local cost of living, ranges from US$2,482 in the Solomon Islands to US$13,819 in Palau, with an average of US$5,845. This compares to an average of US$16,782 for SIDS worldwide. In terms of life expectancy at birth ranges from 64.5 years of age in Tuvalu, to 72.8 years in Samoa, with an average of 68.3 years. This compares to an average of 70.2 years for SIDS worldwide. 

Five of the 10 Pacific countries achieved a HDI above or at the average for small island developing states (SIDS), while none of the Pacific Island countries measures are above average for the East Asia-Pacific region (which was 0.749).

The Gender Development Index was only available for some Pacific countries, but those reported compare unfavorably with the average for East Asia and the Pacific and other SIDS.

The report highlights that a key source of inequality within countries is the gap in opportunities, achievements and empowerment between women and men. Worldwide, the average HDI for women is four percent lower than for men, due to women’s lower income and educational attainment in many countries.

UNDP works in the Pacific to improve livelihoods for Pacific Island people through a combination of programs that improve gender equity, support businesses, action on climate change and improvements in social protection. 

Overall, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Hong Kong (SAR) and Australia lead the ranking of 191 countries and territories, while South Sudan, Chad, Niger, the Central African Republic, and Burundi have the lowest scores in the HDI’s measurement of national achievements.

HDR reporting data