Conclusions and directions for further work

In the developing countries of the ESCAP region, containing 54 per cent of the world population, human resources development is a question of paramount importance. Human resources are an input to the production of goods and services, whose supply determines the greater part of human well-being, and their development is, in some respects, an end in itself. Although there has been a plethora of studies attempting to demonstrate the contribution of human resources development to growth and development, especially of education to growth, few of them provide systematic and satisfactory guidance to the policy maker. Until such time as there are major advances in scientific knowledge regarding these relationships, it is not realistic to expect that such studies can provide a dependable foundation for practical policies. The search for advances in understanding the fundamental underlying relationships between human resources development and social and economic development is a major responsibility of scholars and universities in the region. What has been attempted in this Survey is to obtain some insights through the juxtaposition of information on the situation and policies regarding human resources development in the developing countries in the region. The analysis ensuing from this information certainly needs to be carried further.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Reduced Inequalities