UNDP announces Asia Pacific Human Development Report

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam launched its Asia Pacific Human Development Report entitled “Shaping the Future: How Changing Demographics can power human development,” in Hanoi on April 27.

The report acknowledged that demographic changes in the Asia-Pacific region is happening at a rate the world has never seen before. An explosion in the working age population and a fall in birth rates, that took a century in Europe are happening in the region in just 30 years.

It noted that Asia-Pacific countries now have more working-aged people and fewer dependents than at any point in history, providing a springboard for growth. Region-wide, 68 percent of people are of working age and only 32 percent are dependents.

When countries have a greater share of people who can work, save and pay taxes, they have the potential to transform their economies and power investments into healthcare, education and other means of building future prosperity.

The report says if countries do not start planning for this demographic change, they will miss out on an unique opportunity to boost growth and investments for the future.

The report calls for the creation of decent jobs to match the workforce, equal employment for women, and ways to turn savings into investments inside the region.

In an attempt to maximise the potentiality of the demographic change in the region, the report also suggested several policies for Vietnam such as focusing on productivity and substantial employment, technical transfer and skills, healthcare and education reforms, gender equality, and social welfare.-VNA