19 March, TASHKENT – The UN Development Programme today joined the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction to launch the 2020 Human Development Report in Uzbekistan and to recognize the report’s 30^th anniversary. The event, which was held at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent, highlighted the report’s key conclusions and reviewed what its findings mean for Uzbekistan.  

The launch will present Human Development Report 2020 and its key findings to development partners in Uzbekistan and will focus discussions on what has been achieved and lessons learned in human development in Uzbekistan.  Launch participants will explore what HDR 2020 means for Uzbekistan, particularly in terms of recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic while reducing pressures on the natural resources and environment, which policies and incentives can be advanced to accelerate human development, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, what recommendations and practical actions to enhance the HDI ranking so that the target of reaching the level of a country with “very high human development” can be reached.

The theme of the 2020 Human Development Report is “The next frontier: Human development and the Anthropocene.” The 2020 Human Development Report shows that we are at an unprecedented moment in history, in which anthropogenic activity has become a dominant force shaping the planetary ecosystems on which civilization depends. It focuses on rebalancing humanity’s relationship with nature in ways that improve people’s lives, both today and in the future. It calls that human pressures on the planet (evidenced by the unfolding and devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic), climate change and increasing inequalities, as well as other challenges are creating an urgent need for collective response to such crises around the world.

Matilda Dimovska, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan, said that in addition to offering policy recommendations, HDR 2020 also provides new metrics and data that can help policy makers and their development partners ensure that progress and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic can be environmentally and socially sustainable.

Ms Dimovska said the importance of ensuring that development does not come at the cost of harming our planet has been highlighted significantly by the global COVID-19 pandemic, record-breaking temperatures, the clear impacts of climate change (including in the Aral Sea region), and increasing inequalities.  

In his speech at a ceremony to mark the launch of the report, Sodiq Safev, Deputy Chairperson of the Senate of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted that Uzbekistan continues to make significant progress up the ladder of sustainable development.  From 2019 to 2020 Uzbekistan’s HDI value increased from 0.710 to 0.720, placing the country in the high human development category, and positioning it at 106^th out of 189 countries and territories worldwide. This has continued a twenty-year trend of Uzbekistan’s advancement in HDI value, from 0.686 in 2000.  Over that time the national gross income more than doubled from $2,053 to $7,142, while life expectancy increased 4.5 years from 67.2 to 71.7.

Mr.Ilkhom Norkulov, First Deputy Minister for Economic Development and Poverty Reduction, noted that Uzbekistan (currently holds a higher HDI ranking than Turkmenistan (111^th), Kyrgyzstan (120^th) and Tajikistan (125^th), but ranks lower than Kazakhstan (51^st) and Azerbaijan (88^th). “Together with our partners in the region, we will continue to development and improve the well-being of all our citizens, leaving no one behind.” 

About the report

Thirty years ago, UNDP formed the Human Development Index (HDI) as a new means to conceive and measure progress. Instead of measuring growth in GDP as a sole means of advancement, the HDI ranks countries by their human development, based on whether people in each country the freedom and opportunity have to live the lives they value. The new Planetary-Pressures Adjusted HDI launched this year measures countries’ abilities to enhance the livelihoods of their citizens without causing additional harm to our planet and its climate.

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

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For more information on the 2020 Human Development Report, and its official national launch in Uzbekistan, please contact UNDP Communications Analyst Feruza Nomozova at feruza.nomozova@undp.org.