State of human development

Almost all countries have improved human development over the past few decades, and billions of people are now doing substantially better. The 2013 Human Development Report (HDR) revealed that more than 40 developing countries—with the majority of the world’s population—had greater HDI gains than would have been predicted given their situation in 1990. Life expectancy at birth has increased due to lower infant and child mortality, fewer deaths due to HIV/AIDS and better nutrition. Education levels have risen on stronger investments and political commitment. Multidimensional poverty has been considerably reduced, though wide variation across countries and regions remains.

Related Subject(s): Human Settlements and Urban Issues