In celebration of this, The Human Development Report Office will launch the Journal of Human Development in January 2000. It will provide a forum for the open exchange of ideas among a broad spectrum of development practitioners, policy-makers and academics and will aim to stimulate further research and development of concepts and measurement tools for human development. As an alternative to the traditional focus on economic growth as an end in itself, human development provides a different framework of analysis, focusing on issues of empowerment, participation, equity, sustainability and human rights. Economic growth is seen as an essential means to human development, and in practice, policies are needed that focus on how economic growth can best contribute to human development.
Human development is a process of enlarging people s choices.
Enlarging people s choices is achieved by expanding human capabilities and functionings. At all levels of development the three essential capabilities for human development are to lead long and healthy lives, to be knowledgeable, and to have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living.