Human development is about people, about expanding their opportunities and choices, and improving their well-being. People and communities should not be passive beneficiaries of development but active agents who can engage fully in economic, social and political life, and in building human security – while remaining committed to a healthy environment and careful stewardship of the planet for future generations. 

In Asia and the Pacific, the human development journey has been a story of progress, disparity, and disruption. Alarmingly, the region is not on-track for achieving any of the Sustainable Development Goals, and millions of people live precarious lives with multiple threats to their security. And in many respects the current position is becoming more difficult. The region is faced with existential threats such as climate change, and a changing technological and trade environment that can hamper economic growth and job creation. There are also mounting risks to effective policy implementation arising from the erosion of democracy and national institutions, and increasingly polarized public opinions. 

To reinvigorate human development amidst a turbulent landscape, the 2024 Asia-Pacific Human Development Report proposes new directions. Building on the region’s past successes, Making Our Future sets out practical pathways and advocates a three-pillar approach: mainstreaming human development, recalibrating growth strategy, and making change happen.