By Thoboloko Ntšonyane
MASERU – Lesotho features among the countries with the lowest Human Development Index (HDI), the recently published Lesotho National Human Development Report (NHDR) 2022 has revealed.
“The Human Development Reports are aimed at contributing to the body of knowledge to provide an evidence-basis to inform programme strategies, prioritization, and financing decisions, to ensure equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development, utilizing the human development approaches.”
According to the report, that was unveiled last week Thursday in Maseru, Lesotho ranks 165 out of 189 countries on the HDI, with the HDI of 0.527.
“Between 1990 and 2019, Lesotho’s HDI improved by 5.8%, with positive gains on [the] mean year of schooling and enrolments, and income per capita, while life expectancy declined by 5.5 years as reflected in table 1 below. Although poverty is declining, almost half of Basotho are still living below the poverty line, with 25% in extreme poverty, largely affecting people in the rural areas, women, and youth,” reads the report in pertinent part.
The report highlights that about 40 percent of Lesotho’s youth are unemployed or “trapped” in informal or low-paying jobs.
It also notes that COVID-19 had occasioned an additional 2% of the population that was forced into “extreme poverty” a move that reversed the gains made for human development owing to loss of livelihoods and incomes.
The NHDR 2022 is a joint project between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Development Planning, and the Ministry of Communications, Science, and Technology.
The theme for the Lesotho NHDR, 2022, is ‘Exploiting the benefits of technology and innovation for Lesotho’s human development’.
The NHDR also highlights that between 1990 and 2019, Lesotho’s HDI had seen an improvement of 5.8 percent.
Speaking at the launch on Thursday last week, the UNDP Resident Representative Betty Wabunoha said the speed of the global economic development and transformation “has become immeasurable”.
This she said is attributable to technology and innovations.
“We are told that Africa is lagging in the digital world, and it may be difficult to catch up unless certain capabilities and skills are developed. The situation becomes dimmer for developing countries such [as] Lesotho, with compounded limitations of resources, technology, and infrastructure. While other countries are ‘living in the internet’ (metaverse), countries such as Lesotho, are still making attempts to acquire platforms and functionalities that allow them to go online.
“This creates development distress, and disadvantages, especially the youth, who are more at an advantage to acquire these skills and utilize them for economic and individual development,” said the UNDP Resident Representative.
Wabunoha further pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had caused many economies and institutions to embrace technology as a panacea for their challenges.
She said this was manifest as the uptake of new skill sets and innovations rose, arguing that youth, women, and other groups “attempted to respond and that helped accelerate user experiences and acquisition”.
For her part, the Director at the Ministry of Development Planning, Mahlape Ramoseme said as people-centric, the NHDR “awakens” the importance of human capability and development.
Ramoseme further said the report also underscores the transformation effect at the individual and society level.
“Technology is selected as one of the economic growth drivers in the second national plan, due to [its] recognized the potential of creating employment,” she said.
The Director further remarked that the technology and innovations boast potential in production systems to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and the position necessary to attaining the economic growth.
The Ministry of Communications, Science, and Technology’s Senior Research Officer Matšepo Mosoka reiterated that the purpose of the NHDR is to influence the evidenced-based policy.
“It is imperative to consider carefully the definition of technology and innovation in our context as Lesotho such that we will not leave behind some of the existing, new, and emerging technologies, and innovations in our strategies towards human development.
Meanwhile, the National Strategic Development Plan II, says the well-being of Basotho among others requires strengthening research to inform policy formulation and product development, the establishment of incubation facilities, and industrial parks, and improved usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
She also noted that Lesotho is still lagging behind, as it ranks low in technology within the region as well as in the adoption of ICT.
Mosoka continued: “Lesotho however falls among those that made progress in both Human Development and Foundations for Economic Opportunity even though we have declined in Security and Rule of Law and participation, Rights and Inclusion.
“The situation needs a significant improvement and if proper policy interventions are put in place and implemented, every Mosotho will have a better quality of life.
Mosoko impressed on the need for the government to create an enabling policy instrument to enable research and innovation.
Lesotho lags Human Development Index: report
Thoboloko Ntšonyane
MASERU – Lesotho features among the countries with the lowest Human Development Index (HDI), the recently published Lesotho National Human Development Report (NHDR) 2022 has revealed.
“The Human Development Reports are aimed at contributing to the body of knowledge to provide an evidence-basis to inform programme strategies, prioritization, and financing decisions, to ensure equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development, utilizing the human development approaches.”
According to the report, that was unveiled last week Thursday in Maseru, Lesotho ranks 165 out of 189 countries on the HDI, with the HDI of 0.527.
“Between 1990 and 2019, Lesotho’s HDI improved by 5.8%, with positive gains on [the] mean year of schooling and enrolments, and income per capita, while life expectancy declined by 5.5 years as reflected in table 1 below. Although poverty is declining, almost half of Basotho are still living below the poverty line, with 25% in extreme poverty, largely affecting people in the rural areas, women, and youth,” reads the report in pertinent part.
The report highlights that about 40 percent of Lesotho’s youth are unemployed or “trapped” in informal or low-paying jobs.
It also notes that COVID-19 had occasioned an additional 2% of the population that was forced into “extreme poverty” a move that reversed the gains made for human development owing to loss of livelihoods and incomes.
The NHDR 2022 is a joint project between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Development Planning, and the Ministry of Communications, Science, and Technology.
The theme for the Lesotho NHDR, 2022, is ‘Exploiting the benefits of technology and innovation for Lesotho’s human development’.
The NHDR also highlights that between 1990 and 2019, Lesotho’s HDI had seen an improvement of 5.8 percent.
Speaking at the launch on Thursday last week, the UNDP Resident Representative Betty Wabunoha said the speed of the global economic development and transformation “has become immeasurable”.
This she said is attributable to technology and innovations.
“We are told that Africa is lagging in the digital world, and it may be difficult to catch up unless certain capabilities and skills are developed. The situation becomes dimmer for developing countries such [as] Lesotho, with compounded limitations of resources, technology, and infrastructure. While other countries are ‘living in the internet’ (metaverse), countries such as Lesotho, are still making attempts to acquire platforms and functionalities that allow them to go online.
“This creates development distress, and disadvantages, especially the youth, who are more at an advantage to acquire these skills and utilize them for economic and individual development,” said the UNDP Resident Representative.
Wabunoha further pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had caused many economies and institutions to embrace technology as a panacea for their challenges.
She said this was manifest as the uptake of new skill sets and innovations rose, arguing that youth, women, and other groups “attempted to respond and that helped accelerate user experiences and acquisition”.
For her part, the Director at the Ministry of Development Planning, Mahlape Ramoseme said as people-centric, the NHDR “awakens” the importance of human capability and development.
Ramoseme further said the report also underscores the transformation effect at the individual and society level.
“Technology is selected as one of the economic growth drivers in the second national plan, due to [its] recognized the potential of creating employment,” she said.
The Director further remarked that the technology and innovations boast potential in production systems to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and the position necessary to attaining the economic growth.
The Ministry of Communications, Science, and Technology’s Senior Research Officer Matšepo Mosoka reiterated that the purpose of the NHDR is to influence the evidenced-based policy.
“It is imperative to consider carefully the definition of technology and innovation in our context as Lesotho such that we will not leave behind some of the existing, new, and emerging technologies, and innovations in our strategies towards human development.
Meanwhile, the National Strategic Development Plan II, says the well-being of Basotho among others requires strengthening research to inform policy formulation and product development, the establishment of incubation facilities, and industrial parks, and improved usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
She also noted that Lesotho is still lagging behind, as it ranks low in technology within the region as well as in the adoption of ICT.
Mosoka continued: “Lesotho however falls among those that made progress in both Human Development and Foundations for Economic Opportunity even though we have declined in Security and Rule of Law and participation, Rights and Inclusion.
“The situation needs a significant improvement and if proper policy interventions are put in place and implemented, every Mosotho will have a better quality of life.
Mosoko impressed on the need for the government to create an enabling policy instrument to enable research and innovation.
