UN sees life expectancy, education and income fall
Switzerland sits at the top of the index this year, while South Sudan sits at the other end of the scale.
September 8, 2022, 9:32 am

UN sees life expectancy, education and income fall

Switzerland sits at the top of the index this year with a life expectancy of 84 years, an average of 16.5 years spent in education and median salary of $66,000 - Photo. Pixabay

A new UN report says that over the past two years, nine out of 10 countries have slid backwards on the UN's Human Development Index.

Decades of progress in terms of life expectancy, education and economic prosperity have begun unravelling because of the pandemic, war in Ukraine and the climate change.

UN's Human Development Index was launched in 1990 in an effort to look beyond GDP as a measure of well-being, according to the BBC.

Switzerland sits at the top of the index this year, while South Sudan sits at the other end of the scale.

Switzerland's life expectancy reaches 84 years, with an average of 16.5 years spent in education and median salary of $66,000.

However, life expectancy in South Sudan is 55, and people spend just 5.5 years in school on average and earn $768 a year.

A South-Sudanese government soldier stands guard as a South Sudanese flag flies in the background. (File photo: AP)

Setbacks in a majority of the 191 countries included in the index, especially in life expectancy, have taken development levels back to those seen in 2016, reversing a 30-year trend.

In the US, for example, life expectancy at birth has dropped by more than two years since 2019. In other countries the decline is much higher.

German life expectancy decreased during pandemic years

Over the years since the index was introduced, many countries have faced crises and slid backwards, but the global trend consistently moved upwards.

Last year was the first time the index declined overall since calculations began and this year's results solidified that downward trend.

The impact has been uneven though. Two-thirds of rich countries rebounded last year while most others continued to decline.

Study: Life expectancy in U.S. varies among racial, ethnic groups

This year's index is based on data from 2021. "But the outlook for 2022 is grim," says Achim Steiner, one of its authors, who points out that more than 80 countries are facing problems paying off their national debt.

"Eighty countries being one step away from facing that kind of crisis is a very serious prospect," he says.

"We are seeing deep disruptions, the tail end of which will play out over a number of years."

levantnews-BBC

UK premier, German chancellor discuss 'energy challenges' UK condemns Iran for cyberattack on Albania

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”