Study: Arab World Lags in Cultural Development
Tuesday, July 02, 2002
CAIRO, Egypt — The entire Arab world is suffering deficits in three critical areas: freedom, women's empowerment and knowledge, according to a U.N.-commissioned report released Tuesday.
"Out of the seven regions of the world, Arab countries had the lowest freedom score in the late 1990s," according to the first Arab Human Development Report.
"The Arab region has the lowest value of all regions of the world for voice of accountability," particularly in regard to political processes, civil liberties, political rights and media independence.
The world's seven regions are Sub-Saharan Africa, South and East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Oceania, North America and Arab states.
Arab scholars spent 18 months writing and researching the report, which was commissioned by the U.N. Development Program. It is the first to focus on a specific region and similar reports on other regions are expected to follow.
The Arab report's findings were discussed at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday. Arab League chief Amr Moussa said the report showed that Arab nations should double efforts to develop the region.
"The crisis is real and very serious," he said. "The road is still long."
The report project was headed by former deputy Jordanian prime minister Rima Khalaf Hunaidi, the United Nations' current assistant secretary and director of the Bureau of Arab States.
"What we have is not a blueprint of an action plan, but a comprehensive analysis of problems in the Arab world and a united vision for the way forward," Hunaidi told The Associated Press.
The report found that about 50 percent of Arab women were illiterate, while only 3.5 percent of all parliamentary seats in Arab states were filled by women. Arab women also suffered from unequal citizenship and legal entitlements.
"Sadly, the Arab world is largely depriving itself of the creativity and productivity of half of its citizens," the report said.
In terms of scientific development, the Arab region spent less than 0.5 percent of its gross domestic product on scientific expenditure, compared to 1.26 percent in Cuba and 2.9 percent in Japan.
But on a positive note, the report said the "Arab region has dramatically reduced poverty and inequality in the 20th century. It can do so again in 21st."
The report's editor, Egyptian economist Nader Fergany, said they studied a range of elements about Arab society, from its lack of freedoms to problems from a growing population, expected to hit at least 400 million within 20 years.
The report covers 22 Arab countries inhabited by about 280 million people. It found that 65 million adults are illiterate, 10 million children do not attend school and the unemployment rate is at 15 percent, the world's highest.
The report also touched on the Mideast crisis, saying Israel's occupation of Arab lands is "one of the most pervasive obstacles to security and progress in the region."
Hunaidi said the report's aim was not to frustrate Arabs but ignite their determination for change.
"The report is not the end of the road, but a beginning of a deep dialogue," she said.
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