Serbia

National Human Development Report

Since 1990, UNDP has been publishing annual Global Human Development Reports to review the status of human development in the world, and advocate for policies and systems of governance which promote, support and sustain improvements in the quality of people’s lives. In providing tangible support to these advocacy activities with statistical evidence, UNDP has developed the Human Development Index, a summary indicator of human development and an instrument for monitoring progress over time.

In 1994, UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS launched National Human Development Reports (NHDRs) in all countries of the region. Since then, the NHDRs have made important contributions to increase awareness among people on the state of well being in a country. They have also played a significant role in drawing attention of policy makers and citizens to key development priorities. They have, in the process, generated much debate and dialogue often resulting in tangible policy changes and the introduction of new programmes.

The 2008 National Human Development Report for Serbia: Regional Cooperation

The Report finds that the recent developments in Serbia have been quite encouraging: success of the pro-reform, pro-European option during the 2008 presidential, parliamentary, provincial and local elections; the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union on 28 April 2008; and forward movement in cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia through the arrest of Stojan Zupljanin and Radovan Karadzic on war crime indictments.  

As the Serbian Human Development Report 2008 demonstrates, there have been a number of particular achievements in different fields, including human rights; gender equality; cross-border cooperation; the growth of exports and foreign investments; partial improvements of infrastructure; and reforms related to health care, education, the status of the Roma and other marginalized groups, the judiciary system and police structures.

Some of these accomplishments could be considered turning points; others are in a nascent phase. But they all could have positive implications in terms of the political readiness and capacity of Serbia to develop regional cooperation with other South East European countries.

The unilateral declaration of independence of the Kosovo provisional authorities, on 17 February 2008, has been the biggest challenge to regional cooperation since 2000, when all countries of the region became involved in fostering good neighbourly relations and building a new regional post-war architecture. Belgrade, other capitals in the region and the international community have nonetheless kept the regional framework operational, even through the successful transfer of “ownership” from the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, the most important regional initiative, to the Regional Cooperation Council under the aegis of the South Eastern Europe Cooperation Process.

Against this background, the Serbian Human Development Report 2008 draws together evidence from a variety of sources to argue that overcoming conflicts and tensions, and improving cooperation with the former Yugoslav republics and other neighbours is crucial for future human development in Serbia.

The advantages of improved regional cooperation go beyond potential economic benefits. It is the prerequisite for stability, security and prosperity for all people living in Serbia. Its different rationales—security, political, economic and societal—are closely interlinked. Regional stability and security are necessary for economic development, and productive and creative lives for the population, which, in turn, reinforce stability and security. In isolation, the countries of the region cannot address effectively enough all of the issues related to economic growth, the return of refugees, the development of infrastructure and environmental protection.

By engaging over 20 local researchers from Serbia, as well as numerous participants in public debates on preliminary findings, the report has fully embraced national ownership, and the principles of participation and inclusion. The analysis is based on a variety of different sources, but its specific messages are consistent throughout the report—pointing towards the beneficial effects of regional cooperation. Overall, the report has been designed as a tool for policy advocacy. Its normative approach and concrete recommendations in each chapter should serve to increase awareness among policy makers. In particular, by discussing the specific tasks Serbia faces in relation to regional cooperation initiatives, the report maps the way towards future progress. Key findings support initiatives and policy measures aimed at promoting regional cooperation at both the regional and national levels.