The global Human Development Report has been published annually
by UNDP since 1990. It has considerably influenced development thinking
and approaches to operational activities for development at the international
level and in countries around the globe. Nearly 400 reports have been
published in 135 countries.
The aim of National Human Development Reports (NHDR) is to examine
the human development concept from a national perspective and to adapt
it to specific national experiences and to emphasize national priorities.
Within that framwork, the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies
has supervised and coordinated the National Human Development Report
for Lebanon 2000-2001.
2000-2001 National Human Development Report Theme
The theme of the report was Globalization and Human Development in
Lebanon – Choosing to be Prosperous. Lebanon has a particular,
extraordinary historical experience with globalization, which it is
challenged to emulate in the present new wave. Lebanon is not only
facing the challenge to recover from the long period of war through
the reconstruction and development of its economy and the reconstitution
of its society, but is also facing the arduous task of integrating
and adjusting to the new trends of globalization – the combination
of these two daunting challenges will require the full mobilization
of the national potential and the inspired contribution of all, groups
and individuals.
The aim of the report was to put a strong positive spin on the opportunities
created by this process of evolution–cum–revolution –
provided strong links are created with human development. There were
several “visions” or possible futures for Lebanon; each
one implied regaining a can-do attitude. The National Human Development
Report attempted to shed light on the issues involved and pointed
to new perspectives. In the process, the National Human Development
Report enabled the people and the agents of change to promote dialogue
and to debate ideas going in that direction.
The 2000-2001 National Human Development Report took advantage of
the thinking, analysis and findings of the global Human Development
Report, which focused on globalization with a human face, and of the
regional event on globalization and human development in the Arab
region, which took place in Tunis in November 1999. Most important,
it relied on information and knowledge at the national level and documented
relevant experiences.
2000-2001 National Human Development Report Process
The project idea was developed and resources were mobilized in the
second half of 1999. The preparation of the report was initiated in
May 2000. The report was published at the end of September 2001.
The National Coordinator of this year’s report was Dr Salim
Nasr (Executive Director, Lebanese Centre for Policy Studies).
National consultants who cooperated in the preparation of the report
were Roger Melki, Charbel Nahas, Maud Stephan, Raymond Khoury, Mohamad
Al-Amin, Antoine Haddad, and Georges Assaf.
A series of information meetings and thematic roundtables were launched
to support the National Human Development Report process. Planned
events included debate with staff of the Programme Department of CDR
(June); roundtable on Globalization and ICT, with participation of
Ms. Rima Khalaf, Regional Director, RBAS (mid-July); and, a roundtable
on Globalization and Governance (end July/early August).
