UNDP 2014 Human Development Report Turkey Launch Held at TEPAV The launch meeting of the report entitled “Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience” hosted Minister of Development Cevdet Yılmaz and UNDP Turkey Resident Representative Kamal Malhotra
ANKARA - The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Report (HDR) 2014 entitled “Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience” was launched in Turkey with a meeting at TEPAV. The meeting was attended by Minister of Development Cevdet Yılmaz and UNDP Turkey Resident Representative Kamal Malhotra.
During his opening speech, TEPAV Director Güven Sak stressed that Turkey needed a renewal to overcome the middle income trap and rise as a high-income country. Underlining that the quality had outweighed quantity, and the pressing need for qualified human source, institutions and institutional infrastructure, Sak said that this necessity was highlighted also in the Tenth Development Plan. He also noted that for the first time Turkey had a Government Program harmonious with the development plan. Sak, stressing that the program involved guiding objectives for ministries, added, “This was a clear manifestation of Turkey’s priorities. I think this is important. It appears that the Ministry of Development has assumed the roles of a policy coordination department that Turkey lacks and has secured the harmony between plans and the government program.”
Minister of Development Cevdet Yılmaz pointed at the key role of economic progress in development, while underlining that the economy and income were not the only components of development. Stressing that the 24th HDR was based on purchasing power parity-adjusted GDP per capita, health and education figures, Yılmaz said that human development should not be limited to these indicators.
Citing from the report that 1.5 billion people today had informal jobs or were irregular employment, Minister Yılmaz stated, “1.5 billion people live with less than $1.25 a day. Thankfully, Turkey has overcome this. There is no longer such challenge for us.”
Yılmaz, underlining that Turkey was one of the best examples among developing countries in terms of human development, added: “Of course, we are not happy with where we are today. But the progress we have made over the last 15 years is pleasing. Turkey, as a country that was known for crises and instabilities until the 2000, has onwards overcome this period with integrated economic and social policies, and maintained its goal-oriented and inclusive development despite global and regional turbulences. ”
Reiterating that Turkey maintained growth amidst the global crisis and regional instabilities, Minister Yılmaz said:
"From 2000 to 2013, Turkey’s human development index increased from 0.653 to 0.759. As a result, Turkey rose from 85th place among 174 countries in 2005 to 69th place among 187 countries in 2013. This corresponds to high human development. Our goal, as clearly stated in the government program, is to move up to the highest level of human development. We aim on the one hand to join the league of the high income countries in terms of economic performance and on the other hand to rise to the highest human development category. There are 20 countries ahead of us. If we can maintain this performance, I see no impediment to Turkey’s rise to the highest human development level, provided that we fulfill the requirements. "
Delivering a presentation about the report, UNDP Turkey Resident Representative Kamal Malhotra made an overall assessment and shared with the audience Turkey’s performance concerning human development indicators. Pointing at the improvements in health and income indicators, Malhotra said that not enough progress was made in terms of education. Malhotra stated that Turkey’s index score of 0.759 was low compared to developed countries in the OECD and the EU, but Turkey stood above the averages for “high human development group” and for Europe and Central Asia countries.
Malhotra added that works on a national human development report for Turkey was launched.
The presentation was followed by a panel discussion. Moderated by TEPAV Director Güven Sak, the panel hosted Prof. Gülay Toksöz from Ankara University; Prof. Sibel Kalaycıoğlu from Middle East Technical University; and Işıl Kurnaz from Gazi University.
Please click here for the 2014 Human Development Report
Please click here for the Report Summary
Please click here for Turkey Explanatory Note
