The
past two decades have delivered unprecedented progress and improvements
in quality of life across the developing world. Poverty has fallen in
most developing countries, and the number of low-income countries fell
from 60 in 2003 to just 39 in 2009. Countries such as India and
(particularly) China have managed to lift very large numbers of people
out of extreme poverty. Progress has not been restricted to increases in
income; many developing countries have also dramatically improved their
access to vital services, such as education and health.
This report grew out of a conviction that it is important to
highlight progress made, in particular at a time where global issues
such as the economic crisis, the food crisis and the threat of climate
change present challenges to what has been accomplished. The stories
defy the narrative of pessimism that often shapes popular perceptions of
development, and provide a basis for cross-country learning and
benchmarking.
The report summarises evidence of progress and how it was achieved in
24 developing countries. The cases, or 'stories,' showcase progress
across a range of sectors, representing broad dimensions of wellbeing.
They were selected from an initial long list of more than 100 progress
cases. Criteria for selection included the scale of achievement, how
widely benefits were shared, how sustainable the results were and how
difficult the context was. The stories focus on progress rather than
success, in recognition of development as a journey. Particular
attention is given to countries that have emerged from a low base and
may not be considered 'successes' in a conventional sense, as well as
those that have not yet achieved wide recognition and may be surprising
to some audiences.
Drivers of progress:
- Smart Leadership: Leaders
at all levels of society can use their position of power and influence
to enable and accelerate progress when they are working within and
supported by a conducive institutional environment.
- Smart Policies: At the heart of most progress
stories lies a turnaround in government policies, particularly in
relation to managing the economy, providing critical public services and
protecting the vulnerable and the environment.
- Smart Institutions: Experiences in many developing
countries have demonstrated that the quality and capacity of domestic
institutions have marked impacts on development trajectories.
- Smart Friends: Relationships between donors and
developing countries have changed dramatically in recent years. In the
process, genuine partnerships have emerged between national governments
and donors.
