UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ARAB FUND FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ARAB HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2003 Building a Knowledge Society AHDR 2002 challenged the Arab world to overcome three cardinal obstacles to human devel- opment posed by widening gaps in freedom, women’s empowerment and knowledge across the region. Looking at international, regional and local developments affecting Arab countries since that first report was issued confirms that those challenges remain critically pertinent and may have become even graver, especially in the area of freedom. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the status of Arab knowledge at the beginning of the 21st century, the theme of this second report. Despite the presence of significant human ARAB HUMANDEVELOPMENTREPORT2003 capital in the region, AHDR 2003 concludes that disabling constraints hamper the acquisition, diffusion and production of knowledge in Arab societies. This human capital, under more promising conditions, could offer a substantial base for an Arab knowledge renaissance. The Report affirms that knowledge can help the region to expand the scope of human free- doms, enhance the capacity to guarantee those freedoms through good governance and achieve the higher moral human goals of justice and human dignity. It also underlines the importance of knowledge to Arab countries as a powerful driver of economic growth through higher productivity. Its closing section puts forward a strategic vision for creating knowledge societies in the Arab world built on five pillars: 1. Guaranteeing the key freedoms of opinion, speech and assembly through good governance bounded by the law. 2. Disseminating high quality education for all. 3. Embedding and ingraining science, and building and broadening the capacity for research and development across society. 4. Shifting rapidly towards knowledge-based production in Arab socioeconomic structures. 5. Developing an authentic, broadminded and enlightened Arab knowledge model. AHDR 2003 makes it clear that, in the Arab civilisation, the pursuit of knowledge is prompted by religion, culture, history and the human will to achieve success. Obstructions to this quest are the defective structures created by human beings – social, economic and, above all, political. Arabs must remove or reform these structures in order to take the place they deserve in the world of knowledge at the beginning of the knowledge millennium. Sales No.: E.03.III.B.9 ISBN: 92-1-126157-0 United Nations Development Programme Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development THE ARAB HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2003 Building a knowledge society SPONSORED BY THE REGIONAL BUREAU FOR ARAB STATES ARAB FUND FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Copyright © 2003 By the United Nations Development Programme, Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS), 1 UN Plaza, New York, New York, 10017, USA Image on cover of cast copper statue head from Nineveh, copyright Hirmer Fotoarchiv München All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of UNDP / RBAS Available through: United Nations Publications Room DC2-853 New York, NY 10017 USA Telephone: 212 963 8302 and 800 253 9646 (From the United States) Email: [email protected] Web: www.un.org/Publications Web: www.undp.org/rbas Cover design: Mamoun Sakkal Layout and Production: SYNTAX, Amman, Jordan Printed at: National Press, Amman, Jordan ISBN: 92-1-126157-0 Printed in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan The analysis and policy recommendations of this Report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Development Programme, its Executive Board or its Member States. The Report is the work of an independent team of authors sponsored by the Regional Bureau for Arab States. Foreword by the Administrator, UNDP Last year’s inaugural Arab Human much of the Arab world – and, indeed, global Development Report was by any standard a public opinion – military action was not the phenomenon. As the more than one million best way to promote democratic change. copies downloaded off the Internet so far tes- Hence the strong reassertion in this report of a tifies, its groundbreaking analysis of the re- key tenet of its predecessor: lasting reform in gion’s development challenges catalysed an the Arab world must come from within. unprecedented wave of debate and discussion This year, the authors go on to consider in in both Arab countries and the wider world. detail how such domestically driven reform Even that understates its true impact: mea- might take place with regard to one of the sured by the fierce arguments it continues to three cardinal challenges – the knowledge provoke from coffee houses to television talk- deficit. Reflecting their sensitivity to recent shows to parliaments and beyond it is clear events, however, the report first opens with a why Time magazine cited it as the most im- frank –and for a UN document untypically portant publication of 2002. The reason for angry – acknowledgment of the additional this impact is simple but important. As a pio- challenges to sustainable reform in the region neering and provocative study produced by a they believe have been created. The reasons team of Arab scholars, policy analysts and for this are twofold: first, the frustration of the practitioners at a time of enormous economic, authors at the sense that their internal path for social and political ferment its central mes- democratic reform in the region has, to a con- sages -- that reform is necessary and if it is to siderable extent, been derailed by the events be successful and sustainable then change has they describe; second, because of the very spe- to come from within -- carried unique author- cial status of this report -- its power comes ity. The United Nations Development from the fact that it is not written by normal, Programme is proud to have sponsored it. internal UN authors, but is the product of In the twelve months since that report leading Arab intellectuals and policy analysts came out, several Arab countries have taken writing primarily for an Arab audience. Its UN significant steps toward grappling with the sponsorship gives them a platform and recog- challenges it set out. At the same time, how- nition for their work which they would not ever, two other events -- the intensification of otherwise have but, at the same time, its in- conflict in the occupied Palestinian territories tegrity rests in the fact that these are their and the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces – views rather than parsed and cautious opin- have complicated matters. The first Arab ions of international civil servants. As such, we Human Development Report carried broad commend them to you as the authentic cry of support across normal political divides by both anger and hope of a region grappling highlighting the three deficits afflicting the with change. Arab world – freedom, women’s rights and In making the core argument that the Arab knowledge – and stressing the importance of world must turn outwards and immerse itself democracy as part of the solution to bridging in the global knowledge stream, however, the them. However, reaction to both the events in authors make clear they remain firmly com- Iraq and the Occupied Territories shows, once mitted to engagement. But, they ask, if the out- again, how divided the international commu- side world seems to dominate militarily, what nity is on the "how" of such reforms. For does that mean for culture and knowledge? I Immersion, yes, but swamped or drowned, no, stark choice facing Arab countries is: con- is their message in providing a comprehensive structively engage with the new world or be assessment of the state of knowledge in Arab left behind. For those who fear that their cul- societies today, the impediments to its acquisi- ture may be compromised by outside influ- tion and diffusion, and the prospects of mak- ences, this message of openness may be as ing learning and research a dynamic driver of controversial as the original report. social and economic innovation in the future. AHDR 2003 is merely the second step in a The Report argues that the potential for long journey. Over the next two years, further developing the knowledge capabilities of Arab reports will follow on freedom and women’s countries is enormous – not only because of empowerment, the other two main challenges their untapped human capital, but also be- facing the region. I hope and believe this lat- cause of their rich cultural, linguistic and intel- est issue will attract as much attention and lectual heritage. It acknowledges that provoke as much debate as its predecessor. overhauling the region’s antiquated and Even if many of the views taken in this report under-resourced education systems will not be do not necessarily reflect UNDP or United easy, but insists that it is critical if knowledge Nations policy, we are pleased to be associated and economic output are to feed off each with a process that is helping stimulate a dy- other, creating a virtuous cycle conducive to namic new policy discourse across the Arab human development. However, the authors region and the wider world. I would also par- also underline once again that if these objec- ticularly like to thank Rima Khalaf-Hunaidi, tives are to be met, Arabs need to drive the my colleague and Assistant Administrator, process themselves: promoting local innova- who as Bureau Director for the Arab States tion as a necessary complement to harnessing has been the driving inspiration behind this knowledge and technology from abroad. The important project. Mark Malloch Brown. Administrator, UNDP UNDP is the UN's global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.