Last year, North Star Alliance, an international not-for-profit organisation, delivered healthcare and counseling services to 183,906 people across Africa through a strategically placed network of Roadside Wellness Centres (or clinics). Thanks to this intervention, some groups most at-risk of contracting and transmitting communicable diseases (like HIV and other STIs, tuberculosis, and malaria) including mobile workers […]

The 2011 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which was released this week, highlights where countries across Africa stand regarding four key categories: Safety & Rule of Law, Participation & Human Rights, Sustainable Economic Opportunity and Human Development. While any index will have its critics, this report highlights a diversity of scenarios on a continent often […]

How can we use art, design, and technology to understand complex issues, make better decisions, and become more aware of the world around us? In part, through data visualization. A few weeks ago I posted an article highlighting some of the new interactive resources made available by the UNDP to help individuals traverse the 2010 […]

Accompanying this year’s 20th Anniversary HDR are a number of helpful and user-friendly resources that let individuals (who don’t need to be statisticians or economists) browse country profiles, maps, and even create their own Human Development Index. These new tools are a huge step forward with regard to making important statistical documents accessible to a broader public.

UNDP Administrator Helen Clark stated that “the Report shows that people today are healthier, wealthier and better educated than before. While not all trends are positive, there is much that countries can do to improve people’s lives, even in adverse conditions. This requires courageous local leadership as well as the continuing commitment of the international community.”