The health and economic crisis linked to coronavirus will likely also have serious consequences from the standpoint of human development. The alarm is being raised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in a report published on 20 May. The document explains that the Human Development Index – Human Development Index (HDI), a tool introduced in 1990 that takes into account education, health and standard of living – could fall for the first time in history.

UN Development ✓ @UNDP

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#COVID19 is unleashing an unprecedented development crisis. #HumanDevelopment is on course to decline for the first time in 30 years.
@HDRUNDP's new #HDPerspectives report spotlights the #Data4HumanDev we need to #BuildBackBetter. Read it now: hdr.undp.org/en/hdp-covid

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Human development: the impact of coronavirus on education, income and health

"The world has experienced numerous crises over the past thirty years – commented UNDP Director General Achim Steiner –. In particular the international financial crisis of 2007–2009. Each of them has strongly affected human development. But, taken together, progress has so far managed to grow the index year on year."

Achim Steiner @ASteiner

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The #COVID19Pandemic is more than a #health crisis. As the technical lead 4 the socio-economic response, @UNDP & its COs are working under the leadership of the @UN RC's & in close collaboration w #UN sister agencies to assess the socio-economic impacts: ow.ly/19Qb50zKiV7

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On the contrary, the German director continues, "Covid-19, by hitting three sectors simultaneously – namely health, education and sources of income – could change this trend." Also because, the UNDP notes, pressure on all three factors is already making itself felt strongly in the majority of countries around the world, both rich and poor.

Internet access is indispensable for being able to continue studying

In terms of loss of human life, the coronavirus pandemic has already caused the death of more than 300,000 people. Meanwhile, per capita income globally is expected to fall by 4 per cent this year. Furthermore, with the closure of schools in numerous countries around the world, UNDP estimates point to a likely spike in the effective rate of school dropout. This is due to the fact that many pupils do not have internet access to follow lessons remotely. A factor that, at a global level, is leading to a situation "not seen since the 1980s".

For this reason, the UN Programme warns, "the combined effect of these shocks could lead to the most severe reversal ever recorded in human development. Without even considering other significant effects, such as on the question of gender equality," given that the negative impacts on women and girls are enormous. It is they who bear the brunt of falling incomes, severe job insecurity, difficulties in accessing healthcare and violence.

"Equity must be embedded in political action"

In this sense, the coronavirus crisis is proving to be an amplifier of inequalities. In particular in nations with a low HDI, "86 per cent of primary school children are no longer in school, compared with 20 per cent in countries with a high index."

"This crisis is showing that if we fail to embed equity in political action, many will find themselves even further behind," observed Pedro Conceição, a UNDP director. Internet access is indeed increasingly essential "to be able to benefit from telemedicine, tele-education and remote working." Otherwise, the world could emerge from the coronavirus crisis having taken enormous steps backwards, starting with developing nations, but also in wealthier ones.