Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad Chairman, Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP) President, Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) Email: [email protected] SOUTH ASIA:

Qazi Kholiquzzaman AhmadChairman, Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP)President, Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA)Email: [email protected]

SOUTH ASIA: TACKLING SOCIAL EXCLUSION

IFPR International Conference, Beijing, 17-19 October 2007

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Scope of the paper

The focus of this paper is South Asia, but the arguments and suggested way forward should apply to other parts of the developing world


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Social exclusion defined Social exclusion, as used in this paper,

implies various dimensions such as economic, social, political, judicial, and so on


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Unprecedented advancements but increasing disparities World is scaling unprecedented

advancements in science, technology, particularly ICT, and global wealth and trade

This is happening under the aegis and control of the developed countries and MNCs and TNCs →


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Divides as between rich countries and poor countries as well as between the rich and the poor in individual countries have been widening and deepening

Also, within the small global rich class, there are differentiations and so are among the deprived people at large


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SOUTH ASIA: TACKLING SOCIAL EXCLUSION Social exclusion—dimensions and

implications Inequality, poverty, and deprivations are

concomitants of social exclusion, widely prevalent in developing countries

The socially excluded are constrained from all directions such as human capability, access to resources, access to institutions, participation in socio-political

processes, and so on →


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SOUTH ASIA: TACKLING SOCIAL EXCLUSION The socially excluded are so condemned due to

systemic injustices which are even more entrenched in the wake of neo-liberal reforms and globalization

The excluded are not a homogeneous category. In fact, they are divided in many ‘societies’, depending on the level of deficits of

their economic and social circumstances →


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SOUTH ASIA: TACKLING SOCIAL EXCLUSION They are also at the forefront of the adverse

impact of natural disasters Moreover, it is they who are particularly in

harm’s way of HIV/ AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other deadly diseases


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Dimensions and depth of social exclusion in South Asia South Asia has a major constraint to start with

—it contains 22.4% of the world’s population, while only 3.4% of the world’s total lands

Moreover, population growth is still high; it is in the populous South Asian countries (which account for 96% of South Asian population), 1.5% (India), 1.9% (Bangladesh), and 2.4%

(Pakistan) →


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In South Asia, about one-third of the population lives on less than PPP$1 a day and about 83% under PPP$2

While the overwhelming majority (83%) suffer from human dignity deficits of different degrees, the most disadvantaged and hapless are those people who are extremely poor (i.e. those who are under PPP$1 per day

per person →


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South Asia is prone to natural disasters (flood, cyclone, storm surge, tornado, drought); to worsen under climate change

Each such disaster creates sudden poverty involving significant numbers of people and causes many of the already poor to be further pauperized or become destitute →


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The MDG targets of halving the proportion poor and number hungry by 2015 compared to 1990 is sure to remain unfulfilled to a significant extent in South Asia →


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SOUTH ASIA: TACKLING SOCIAL EXCLUSION The following conditions in South Asia are

prevalent mostly among the socially excluded or affect them the most Some 40% of the regional population is illiterate and

more are functionally illiterate Public primary health services are very limited and

very poor when available Public expenditure on education remains limited,

mostly between 2% or 3.4% of GDP →


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Undernourishment among adults and children and underweight among children are also high

So are infant and maternal mortality

rates →


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South Asian children also face other types of crisis including insecurity against preventable and curable diseases, trafficking, forced by poverty to join the labour force, turning into street urchins and eventually drifting into nets of armed

social elements →


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Women of the socially excluded category suffer from low capability (in the absence of effective public education, health services, and training), little participation in tertiary education as well as in politics and decision-making positions in public or

private sectors →


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Moreover, dowry requirements, torture at home, and trafficking are also prevent widely among women of the socially

excluded category →


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In South Asia, governance generally remains less democratic and more extra-democratic

Moreover, politics of the countries of the

region is generally confrontational →


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The kinds of politics and governance that prevail in the South Asian countries in fact abet and cause social exclusion

More so, because of adherence to principles and compulsions of neo-liberalism and

globalization →


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Two specific examples: On one hand dotcom revolution has flourished in

Bangalore, India; on the other hundreds of farmers commit suicide in the same Indian state in the face of crop failure and due to inability to repay debts

Micro-credit in Bangladesh has not only failed to lift most of the micro-credit takers from their poverty but in fact large numbers have fallen into

debt traps and pauperized further →


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Finally, still on diagnosis in South Asia, let it be noted: Poverty reduction and social development

programmes being implemented usually

- treat people to be served as target groups or objects; and

- the underlying basic causes of their exclusion are not addressed


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Conceptual framework for way forward The goal may be construed as well-being of

all on an equitable basis, as opposed to present situation of exclusion of and ills for

the majority →


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Focus on key concepts on which the framework is anchored:

Freedom and empowerment

- The excluded must be enabled to free themselves from their subservient and hopeless conditions

- Empowerment (economic, social, political) initially to an extent will enable them to articulate their demands and mount efforts for those be fulfilled, and then move forward in terms of further

empowerment and expanding freedom →


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Shared prosperity

- Reorientation of investment and production pattern, which facilitate participation and employment of the now socially excluded

- Demand of products and services produced should be kept in perspective

- High tech activities, as appropriate, should also be promoted, but corporate social responsibility should be

codified and observed →


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Unity amidst diversity

- Diversity (social, cultural) must be celebrated and upheld for the proper rooting of and strong support for the changes being

introduced →


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People’s (participatory) democracy

- People-centred democratization at all levels of society

- Effective local governance- Macro-micro policy congruence


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Note: A word on Imagine a New South Asia (INSA)


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From framework to action Research Policy briefs Campaign


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A list of suggested themes for research and action


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Suggested Themes for Research and Action* Human capability development, focusing on children and youth (both female and male) of the socially excluded families through an integrated approach involving education, health, training, and at appropriate stages of their lives access to resources including credit, employment, and markets* Alternatives to the prevailing political order: the aspects to be investigated may include democratization at all levels of society, human security, human rights, peace, people’s power, values and diversity of interest, and ethnic and religious minorities* Agriculture and industrialization: aspects to cover may include interrelationships and coordination, implications of globalization, food security, and employment promotion* Overcoming discrimination and establishing social cohesiveness: issues to focus on may include gender, minority groups, disabled people, and other disadvantaged groups including people affected by HIV/AIDS and other sever diseases* Ownership and management of land and other resources, focusing on people’s perspectives* Economic growth, environmental sustainability, social development, and social equity* The nature and roles of state and market in the context of inclusive social transformation* International order, international institutions, and people’s sovereignty * Community approaches to managing climate change and sea level rise impacts


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Thank you

Documents

Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad Chairman, Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP) President, Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) Email: [email protected] SOUTH ASIA: