Human Development is a development paradigm that is about much more than the rise or fall of national incomes. It is about creating an environment in which people can develop their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs and interests. Development is thus about expanding the choices people have to lead lives that they value. And it is thus about much more than economic growth, which is only a means —if a very important one —of enlarging people’s choices.
Fundamental to enlarging these choices is building human capabilities —the range of things that people can do or be in life. The most basic capabilities for human development are to lead long and healthy lives, to be knowledgeable, to have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living and to be able to participate in the life of the community.
Every two years the UNDP global office produces a global report on Human Development that focuses on topical global issues. At the national level the UNDP Uganda office produces a National Human Development Report (NHDR). This is the flagship report of the Office as well as a major policy and advocacy tool of the UNDP country office. It also serves an important reference material on emerging and substantive development issues in the country. The Report has raised public awareness. Previous NHDRs have addressed the important issues such as HIV/AIDS. The 2005 Report focused on the Human Development and Environment and the 2007 report focused on Rural Development and Agriculture.
UNDP is promoting the teaching of Human Development paradigm through introduction of a course in some universities in the country creating a wealth of Ugandans who are familiar with HD concepts and philosophy is important for policy and programming. To date there have been several meetings with various universities, the capacity of the universities to deliver/ teach HD was assessed and four lecturers from four universities were sponsored to attend the HD training in Oxford University. The four Universities that were represented this year for the course in HD included Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda Martyrs University, Nkumba University and Ndejje University
The team that has gone through the program at Oxford will be trainers for many other university staff that UNDP was not able to sponsor. A national training on HD to university staff will be held so as to ensure more lecturers benefit from the knowledge their colleagues gained while in Oxford.
In addition, UNDP intends to continue to support the development of the capacity of universities in HD by specifically obtaining reading materials for the lecturers and students of the various universities.
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