Maputo 04 December 2007 - The Human Development Index (HDI) in Mozambique has increased in an annual rate of 3% during the last five years, from 2001 to 2006. The increase covers also the life expectation from 45 years to 47,4 during the same period, as it is reported in the 2007 edition of the National Human Development Report (NHDR).
The NHDR was fully produced by mozambican authors and was officialy submitted to the President of the Republic, Armando Guebuza, by representatives of the three institutions directly involved in the preparation, the Chairman of Instituto Superior das Relações Internacionais (ISRI) Dr. Patricio Jose, The Executive Editor of the Southern Africa Research and Documentation Center (SARDC) in Mozambique Tomas Vieira Mario and the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ndolamb Ngokway.
As it is stated in the document, the HDI increase in the last five years is due to the growth of the three basic dimensions of the concept of human development, i.e, a long and healthy live that is measured precisely by the life expectation at birth and degree of knowledge of the society that is measured by adult litteracy taxes and by global school rates of primary school, secondary school and university and finaly a life level with dignity. This last is measured by the PIB per capita.
As a matter of fact, the NHDR of 2007 whose core theme is HIV and AIDS provides in eight chapters an analysis of the overall situation of the pandemics in Mozambique, from its roots passing to its propagations factors, its demographic impact, its consequencies face to the unbalanced gender relations, the national strategies for a coordinated response and the approach to the younger generations with the concept window of hope.
In his comments to the main findings of the report, the President of the Republic stressed once again the need of adapting the message to the majority of the mozambican population considering that it is a need of ruralizing the messages as they continue centered in the person living in an urban area.
However, the report higlights three positive factors in the fight against the pandemics in Mozambique. One is the inquestionable political commitement to fight the desease, including at the highest level of governance, as it is demonstrated by the Presidential Initiative in the Fight Against HIV and AIDS launched in 2005. The other is the expansion of antirhetroviral treatment to the majority of the districts in the country and a strong campaign aiming at protecting the younger generations through the concept Window of Hope encouraging the delay for the first sexual intercourse, but also abstinence and fidelity.
For more information, please contact:
Tomás Vieira Mário, Executive Editor
Email: tvmario@maputo.sardc.net
Anselmo Bila, UNDP Communication Unit
Email: anselmo.bila@undp.org