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UAE ranks 41 in HDI: UN report

NEW YORK — The United Arab Emirates expressed its satisfaction to be ranked 41 in the (Human Development Index) HDI according to UN Human Development Report for 2005.

Mariam Al Shamisi, member of the delegation of the UAE to UN said that her country has made remarkable progress in most of the social development indices, for which it has been ranked 41 in 2005 as compared to its 46^th ranking in 2004.

“This progress was reflected in many aspects of development in the country, including rising income per capita, an increase in the government expenditure on education and health services, higher percentage of women’s participation in the work force, lowest rate of postpartum and infant mortality, and the elimination of dangerous diseases,” Mariam said in her speech.

Talking about the government she said: “The leadership in the UAE has attached great importance to the development of human resources and providing social welfare to all categories of the society, especially the youth, vulnerable persons including handicapped and the elderly.

“In year 1990, the National Human Resource Authority for Development and Employment (Tanmia) was established as a national mechanism to coordinate the requirements of development, labour market and human resources, set up plans for the employment of graduates from universities and scientific institutes and to design training programmes to qualify them for work in all areas, especially the private sector, which is a mainstay of the national economy,” she said.

About the government moves to support humanitarian bodies, Mariam said, “the government has encouraged and promoted volunteer work by supporting various humanitarian organisations and has stated rules and laws to organise their work and services to the public”.

“Volunteer and charitable organisations in the UAE, among which the UAE Red Crescent is most prominent, have contributed generously in the social welfare services and development programme on the national and international levels.”

Talking about the grim situation of poverty, she said,”after the elapse of more than 10 years since the Copenhagen Summit, the social situation of more than half of the population of the world continues to lack for the basic requirements of living with dignity. Poverty, diseases, unemployment, illiteracy, organised crime and armed conflicts still form major challenges to the achievement of our aspirations to create a human society where people enjoy security, stability and prosperity”.

Speaking on UN efforts she said that UAE, which commends the efforts made by the UN and its organs in the area of social development in its multifaceted aspects, reiterates its support of the outcomes and recommendations of the UN conferences and summits on social development.

Mariam expressed hope that deliberations at the UN will succeed in mobilising the international will to implement the global pledges towards improving the social and humanitarian conditions of all the peoples of the world.

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