2014年-世界发展银行全球_Bridging_the_Development_Gap___ASEAN_Equitable_Development_Monitor_2014_70页_3mb

Summary of Bridging the Development Gap: ASEAN Equitable Development Monitor 2014

Core Content

The ASEAN Equitable Development Monitor 2014 is a joint initiative by the ASEAN Secretariat and the World Bank, aimed at assessing and tracking progress toward equitable development across the ten ASEAN member states. It evaluates both economic and human development indicators to identify areas where policies and programs can be improved to ensure inclusive growth.

Main Points

Progress in Equitable Development

• Since the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997, ASEAN countries have made significant strides in improving economic and human development outcomes.
• The poorest countries in the ASEAN (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam) have generally experienced faster economic growth than the richer ones, which has helped reduce income gaps.
• Child mortality rates have decreased by two-thirds across the ASEAN, with notable improvements in the poorest countries.
• Net primary school enrolment rates have increased, reducing the gap between the lowest and highest performing countries from 26 percentage points in 1998 to about 8 percentage points in 2012.
• Access to clean water has improved significantly, with more than 70% of Cambodians and Laotians now having access, compared to less than 40% in 1998.

Persistent Challenges

• Large disparities in economic and human development outcomes remain both within and across countries.
• The poorest members of the ASEAN community are still at risk of being left behind as the region integrates further.
• In terms of business environment, Singapore is the easiest country to do business, while Myanmar is among the most difficult.
• Access to financial services is uneven, with 98% of Singaporeans having bank accounts, compared to only 4% of Cambodians.
• Education and health outcomes show significant gaps, with secondary and tertiary education enrolment rates in Cambodia and Lao PDR being much lower than in Indonesia and Thailand.
• Maternal and child health remains a concern, particularly in poorer and rural areas, where access to skilled medical professionals is limited.

Key Areas of Focus

• Economic Development: Includes indicators on economic growth, fiscal stability, inflation control, and access to finance.
• Human Development: Encompasses education, health, nutrition, and access to water, sanitation, and electricity.

Key Indicators

Economic Development Indicators

• Economic Growth and Macroeconomic Stability:

  • The poorest ASEAN countries have shown faster growth than the richer ones.
  • The richest ASEAN country has an average income more than 45 times that of the poorest, even after adjusting for purchasing power.
  • Most ASEAN economies have increased their integration with the global economy.

• Enterprise Development:

  • Firms in Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam have generally grown their workforces.
  • Viet Nam saw particularly strong performance in labor force growth during 2006–2009.
  • Firm performance in Myanmar lags behind, with limited participation in international markets.

• Business Regulation and Facilitation:

  • Regulations on private businesses have been eased in most ASEAN countries.
  • Starting, operating, expanding, and closing a business remains cumbersome in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar.
  • Singapore outperforms all high-income economies in ease of doing business.

• Access to Finance:

  • There are large disparities in access to financial services across the ASEAN.
  • The average proportion of the population with a financial institution account is 17% in the poorest countries, compared to 57% in middle- and high-income countries.
  • Saving rates and access to credit are also lower in poorer countries.

Human Development Indicators

• Education:

  • Substantial progress has been made in primary education enrolment and completion.
  • However, significant gaps remain in secondary and tertiary education.
  • In some countries, over 60% of children do not attend secondary school.
  • Quality of education remains poor in many ASEAN countries, with youth still unable to read or write.

• Health:

  • Health outcomes have improved, but disparities persist between poorer and richer families, as well as between urban and rural areas.
  • In Lao PDR, children in poor households are half as likely to receive timely treatment for diarrhea as those in rich households.
  • Maternal health is also a concern, with limited access to skilled birth attendants in rural areas of some countries.

• Nutrition:

  • Progress in improving child nutrition indicators has been mixed.
  • Reductions in low birthweight and underweight children have been observed, but wasting remains prevalent.
  • Poorer children are more likely to suffer from malnutrition, affecting their long-term development.

• Water, Sanitation, and Electricity:

  • Access to improved water and sanitation facilities has improved, but disparities remain.
  • In Cambodia and Lao PDR, access to electricity and modern fuels is still uneven between rural and urban areas.

Key Findings

• Economic growth has contributed to poverty reduction, but inequality persists.
• The poorest countries have seen faster growth, which has helped reduce income gaps.
• Inequality in Indonesia and the Philippines is still high, indicating that economic growth has not been evenly distributed.
• Access to financial services, education, and health remains uneven across the ASEAN.
• There are significant disparities in the quality of services and opportunities between rich and poor, as well as between urban and rural areas.

Suggestions for Future Action

• Improve data collection and quality to better inform policy decisions.
• Address persistent inequalities in access to financial services, education, and health.
• Enhance the business environment in poorer countries to encourage enterprise development and international market participation.
• Focus on reducing disparities in human development outcomes, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

Conclusion

The ASEAN Equitable Development Monitor 2014 highlights the progress made in reducing development gaps and the challenges that remain. While economic growth has improved living standards across the region, ensuring that all members, especially the poorest, benefit equitably remains a priority. The Monitor serves as a tool for policymakers to identify key areas for intervention and to guide the ASEAN toward more inclusive and sustainable development.