Development must be less about growth,
more about wellbeing
Sustainable development will only succeed if politicians
prioritise people’s needs over economic progress, says
new report
People and their wellbeing need to be at the centre of development, with less emphasis on economic growth, according to a new report, but this requires philanthropic and development organisations to challenge current thinking.
“Development is political,” said the final report of the Bellagio Initiative, a six-month exploration into the future of philanthropy and international development. “Not everyone can be a winner at the same time, but if no one among the winners is prepared to give up just a little in order to reach politically sustainable solutions, then we will all lose out. The real wellbeing challenge is not just to find ways to live well, but for us to find ways to live well together.”
Care work was cited as an example of an area that would receive greater attention under the new approach. Care for children and the elderly — work often done by women — is systematically undervalued and overlooked in the development agenda, said the report.
Internet:<www.guardian.co.uk> (adapted).
