Human Development Approach

Human Development Approach concerns regarding widening the range of choices of people. It enhancing capabilites to shape the lives of people as they wish and enabiling them to live with
dignity. Human Development is reflected as ability of a person:
* to lead a long and healthy life.
* to obtain education and further knowledge.
* to have a control over key resources .
* to engage in productive employment of his or her choice.
* to participate effectively in the activities of community and the state.
Emphasis of human development approach
* Personal security
* Sustainability
* Environmental preservation
* Social Integration
* Guaranteed human right.
History of Human Development approach
The human development approach, developed by the economist Mahbub Ul Haq, is anchored in Amartya Sen’s work on human capabilities, often framed in terms of whether people are able to “be” and “do” desirable things in life .
Human Development Approach arose in part as a result of growing criticisms to the leading development approach of the 1980s, which persumed a close link between national economic growth and expansion of individual human choices. Human cost of structural adjustments programmes became more apparent. Social ills even in case of strong and consistent economic growth. Wave of democratization in the early 90's raised hopes for people centred models.
Amartya Sen - Human development, as an approach, is concerned with what I take to be the basic development idea: namely, advancing the richness of human life, rather than the richness of the economy in which human beings live, which is only a part of it.
Common feature of Human Development approach
1) Human Development is analyzed and understood in terms of people.
2) Success of development policies becomes the betterment of people's lives.
3) Human development approach's two sides:
a) formation of human capabilities - such as improved health, knowledge and skills.
b) make people to use their acquired capabilities - for employment, productive activities, political affairs or leisure.
c) people are regarded as the ends.
d) political, cultural, social factors are given as much attention as the economic factors.
e) people are not regarded as mere instruments for producing commodities.
Issues of Human Development
* Social progess - greater access to knowledge, better nutrition and health services.
* Economics - importance of economic growth as a means to reduce inequality and improve levels of human development.
* Efficiency - in terms of resources use and availability. It is pro-growth and productivity raising.
* Equity - in terms of economic growth and other human development parameters.
* Participation and freedom - particularly empowerments, democratic governance, gender equality, civil and political rights and cultural liberity particularly for the marginalized groups defined by sex, age, religion, ethnicity , physical / mental parameters.
* Sustainability - for future generations in ecological, economic and social terms.
* Human security - security in daily live against such chronic threats as hunger and abrut disruptions including famine, conflict etc.
Human Development as Holistic concept
It covers all aspects of development - whether economic growth or international trade, budget deficits or fiscal policy, saving or investment or technology, basic social services or safety nets for poor. No aspect of development model fails outside its scope. All aspects of life - economic, political or cultural - are viewed from this perspective.
Aspects of Human Development

* Development must put people at the centre of its concerns.
* The purpose of development is to enlarge all human choices, not just income.
* Human Development has essential pillars; equality, sustainability, productivity and empowerment.