New Democracies in Trouble, Sliding to Dictatorships: UNDP
The UN agency's 2002 human development report retained Norway on top of its annually-updated ranking of 173 nations according to their levels of human development based on freedom, development and education, among other factors.
Many countries in Eastern and Central Europe and in sub-Saharan Africa are a lot worse off compared to 10 years ago, it said.
"Economically, politically and technologically, the world has never seemed more free -- or more unjust," the report said.
"The data tells us two stories. first, there have been tragic reversals. Second, rapid progress is possible," said New York-based UNDP head Mark Malloch Brown, who launched the report in the Philippine capital Wednesday told AFP.
Sweden, Canada, Belgium, Australia, the United States, Iceland, the Netherlands, Japan and Finland in that order joined Norway in the top 10 of the UN index -- the same lineup as in the previous year but with some swapping places.
The report's principal author, Sakiko Fukuda-Farr, pointed out that "democracy has survived the economic crisis" of 1997 in East Asia while actually bringing about more representative governments in Thailand and Indonesia.
In East Asia, China climbed 14 places to 96th position in the UNDP ranking, Malaysia was up 12 notches to 59th spot and Singapore and South Korea rose eight places to 25th and 27th respectively.
Countries below the Sahara Desert made up the largely unchanged bottom 24, with Sierra Leone still bringing up the rear.
The UNDP ranking excluded recent trouble spots such as Afghanistan, Somalia, Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Liberia and East Timor, as well as Iraq and San Marino, citing inadequate data.
The report said there were "great improvements" in political and civil rights, with more than 40 authoritarian regimes falling and democratic regimes doubling to 81 over a 20-year period to 2000.
Fifty-seven percent of the world's population now lived in democracies, from 38 percent in 1985.
But this wave "seems to have stalled" with just 47 of the 81 countries making the shift to full democracies, the report warned.
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------- eaa0046 4 i 0752 phl /afp-fg89 undp-index new democracies in trouble, sliding to dictatorships: undp by cecil morella = (graphic) = manila, july 24 (afp) - many of the world's fledgling democracies are in dire straits or sliding back into dictatorships, the united nations development programme (undp) warned in a report wednesday.
the un agency's 2002 human development report retained norway on top of its annually-updated ranking of 173 nations according to their levels of human development based on freedom, development and education, among other factors.
many countries in eastern and central europe and in sub-saharan africa are a lot worse off compared to 10 years ago, it said.
"economically, politically and technologically, the world has never seemed more free -- or more unjust," the report said.
"the data tells us two stories. first, there have been tragic reversals. second, rapid progress is possible," said new york-based undp head mark malloch brown, who launched the report in the philippine capital wednesday.
sweden, canada, belgium, australia, the united states, iceland, the netherlands, japan and finland in that order joined norway in the top 10 of the un index -- the same lineup as in the previous year but with some swapping places.
the report's principal author, sakiko fukuda-farr, pointed out that "democracy has survived the economic crisis" of 1997 in east asia while actually bringing about more representative governments in thailand and indonesia.
in east asia, china climbed 14 places to 96th position in the undp ranking, malaysia was up 12 notches to 59th spot and singapore and south korea rose eight places to 25th and 27th respectively.
countries below the sahara desert made up the largely unchanged bottom 24, with sierra leone still bringing up the rear.
the undp ranking excluded recent trouble spots such as afghanistan, somalia, bosnia, yugoslavia, liberia and east timor, as well as iraq and san marino, citing inadequate data.
the report said there were "great improvements" in political and civil rights, with more than 40 authoritarian regimes falling and democratic regimes doubling to 81 over a 20-year period to 2000.
fifty-seven percent of the world's population now lived in democracies, from 38 percent in 1985.
but this wave "seems to have stalled" with just 47 of the 81 countries making the shift to full democracies, the report warned.
several nations "have since returned to more authoritarian rule" either through military control, as in pakistan, or pseudo-democratic administration such as in zimbabwe.
"many others have stalled between democracy and authoritarianism, with limited political freedoms, and closed or dysfunctional politics. "others, including such failed states such as afghanistan and somalia, have become breeding grounds for extremism and violent conflict."
fukuda-farr said democracy is a universally accepted measure of human development.
but while it is "not a panacea" to ending massive poverty, neither is there evidence to prove that authoritarianism worked any better, she said.
the report said "the pain of economic transition has taken its toll in many eastern and central european countries" including russia and ukraine which have both fallen off by at least 20 places in the rankings since 1990.
hungary, up five places over the same period to 35th, and poland, jumping eight places to 37th, were the only exceptions.
nine latin american and caribbean countries have also risen five places or more since then, including chile at 38th, costa rica at 43rd, and panama at 57th positions. malloch brown said that to halve poverty between 2000 and 2015, "poor countries will have to redouble their commitment to social, economic and political reforms while rich countries have to make firm commitments to providing trade opportunities, increased aid and other resources."
he said global institutions themselves could use an injection of democracy.
he cited the world bank and the international monetary fund -- in which nearly half the voting power rests with seven developed countries -- and the world trade organization where decisions are heavily influenced by canada, the european union, japan and the united states.
"powerful states are always going to have a major role in global decision-making," malloch brown said. "but there is plenty of room to give poorer countries a say in helping confront the challenges of a more interdependent world."