National Human Development Report: toward globalization [Archives:2006/932/Front Page]

SANA'A, March 26 ) The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, with support from United Nations Human Development (UNDP), yesterday launched the third National Human Development Report (NHDR) entitled, “Knowledge, Culture, Education and Information Technology.”

The third NHDR consists of six chapters covering, in consecutive order: economic growth; new human development pillars; culture and human development issues; cultural policies and institutions; general education; technical and higher education and information technology and the media.

Chapter one is divided into three sections. The first section addresses knowledge as a basis for human development in Yemen and opportunities it created for capacity building and expanding choices to realize freedom, justice and dignity.

Chapter two addresses the topic of culture including ways to achieve human development. Since Yemeni reunification, the modernization process took on an accelerated pace aided by telecommunications and information technology developments and the trend toward a knowledge society and cultural globalization. However, Yemen's cultural scene still is held back by restrictions and constraints blocking change, gaining knowledge and adopting technology to serve human development.

Chapter three reviews Yemen's cultural policies and the state of official and private cultural institutions, production, traditions, arts, literature and intellectual heritage. The chapter also shows how cultural policies haven't received sufficient attention, leading to shortcomings in cultural activities management and its institutions' effectiveness.

Chapter four of the report focuses on general education, educational philosophy and its organizational set-up, as well as indicators and other main issues. Citizens and their attitudes are subjected to globalization's influence, unprecedented knowledge and the information revolution. Hence, educational systems must increase efforts to mold a modern personality, balancing between modernization requirements and preserving traditions.

Chapter five highlights issues facing technical education and vocational training, as well as higher education and scientific research. It explores capabilities for transforming Yemen from a resource-based economy into a knowledge-based economy. The state is making extensive effort to boost the role of vocational training and technical education and contribute to economic growth by making required labor available in the labor market.

Chapter six addresses two basic points: information's role in achieving human development and media's role in information dissemination. Information technology has become core in the development equation and a major contributor to accumulation of knowledge.
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