The human development index report made public by the National Planning Commission on Sunday has placed Nepal in the medium human development category. The index makes an overall assessment of the quality of life in terms of essential impactful factors, mainly life expectancy, education and per capita income. Life expectancy has its link with access to health care facilities, nutrition, clean drinking water and mental wellbeing. Education determines the quality of life, employment opportunities, awareness and decision making capacity of individuals.

Similarly, the per capita income measures the economic aspect of life such as purchasing power, access to basic needs, dignity and overall standard of living. Per capita income is calculated by dividing the total national income by the number of people living in a country. But this figure does not tell the bitter story of disparity, discrimination and inequalities prevailing in the society. The government policy of social justice needs to make a bold intervention to make sure that all citizens have access to basic needs of human life and availability of opportunities for climbing higher on the ladder of prosperity on the basis of capability rather than on the basis of family name and political nexus.

The latest HDI shows that Nepal has made slight progress in the measurement points. There were notable achievements on social, economic and political empowerment fronts. Now the women’s representation at the local level stands at 41 per cent but the problem remains in the prevalence of disparity and inequality. The nation has embraced a capitalist economic policy which can sometimes tolerate the existence of billionaires and people in absolute poverty side by side. The challenge lies in dismantling the long established and deep rooted system of disparity for ensuring opportunity and prosperity for all. It is this realm of inequalities that has been pointed out in the HDI report. According to the report, a significant gap remains between the rural and urban societies with HDI points for these societies standing at 0.431 and 0.487 respectively.

This disparity is instrumental in the accelerating trend of the migration of rural people to the urban centres in pursuit of better opportunities. Gender inequality index also showed a worrying gap last year, according to the HDI report, as the disparity points increased to 0.479 from 0.476 within one year. State-wise, the highest disparity was seen in Karnali and Himali region followed by Sudurpaschim and state 2. Disparities and inequalities can occur in terms of socio-economic classes, gender and geography, among others. Geographically speaking, for instance, an individual in Karnali state earns Rs. 49.81 while a person in Bagmati state can earn Rs. 168.4 a day.

To end these anomalies, remedies can be found in true implementation of various programmes unveiled to promote decentralisation, citizen empowerment and social justice. The report has pointed out the need to lessen the existing disparities between the rural and urban areas and between the states. At the launching of the report, a member of the National Planning Commission said that policy gaps and other vulnerabilities pose challenges to sustainable development and the country’s graduation to the middle-income nation. The lofty national goals may be met but real challenge lies in ensuring social justice and equality.