Home » Politics & Society » International Politics » Human development challenges in Arab societies

Human development challenges in Arab societies

© Glenn Brigaldino

The war in Iraq has led to more immeasurable human tragedy and destruction. There was already enough of that long before the US-regime invaded. From the planning stages of the war to the ongoing daily horrific back and forth of human carnage, the utter absence of mutually shared values between Iraq and the occupiers stands in the way of peaceful conflict resolution. A myriad of diametrically opposed political agendas render meaningful reconciliation next to utopian. While one can readily analyse the US motives for conflict in terms of armed and predatory globalization, a more refined and more complex analysis needs to serve as the reference pint for grasping the mindsets that drive ideology and politi8cla agendas in much of the "Arab" world. Despite the seemingly irresolvable situation in Iraq, such analysis is acutely necessary. And much of it is in fact readily available, largely generated by Arabs themselves, published by the UNDP in its 2003 Arab Human Development Report (AHDR).

This report argues in favour of building "knowledge societies, also in the Arab world. Noting a formidable development impasse in Arab countries (p.21), it is recognised that knowledge serves as a development cornerstone. As a tool it can help expand people's capabilities and choices for overcoming human poverty (p.35). For a variety of reasons, some external yet many others internal to Arab societies, poverty gaps have widened more greatly, personal freedoms have been seriously restricted and institutionalized democracy has failed to take deep roots more than elsewhere in the world. With antiquated as well as under-resourced education systems, the shift towards a knowledge permeated society and culture lacks necessary forward momentum. Arab economies remain heavily dependent on resource (oil and gas) extraction industries and thus resemble 'rentier' economies (p.134). Genuine prospects for overcoming grossly "unequal distribution of income, wealth and power" are indeed dim under the prevailing socio-economic conditions (p.139). Throughout the Arab world, half of the population faces entrenched and systematic marginalization from full and equal participation in society: women.

Where women are expected and obliged to play subordinate roles in society, their contribution to knowledge development, the arts and science, to ingenuity in the economy and the organization of societal processes is almost by definition miniscule. Such backwardness in societal inclusiveness is diametrically opposed to meeting developmental needs in any sustainable manner. The authors of the report are deeply concerned about finding ways and means for moving towards sustainable development, best at exponential rates. Addressing the knowledge challenge, which has a strong gender-related component in Arab countries is of central importance for reducing poverty and overcoming inequalities. This crisis in meeting knowledge needs for development in the 21st century is considered to be a result of a "crisis of political power in the Arab world" (p.147). At present knowledge is only all too frequently tolerated where it serves to support the ruling, landed elites.

The copyright of the article Human development challenges in Arab societies in International Politics is owned by . Permission to republish Human development challenges in Arab societies in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.