How can countries improve human development? Four distinct national planning strategies and the challenges for human development ahead

Motivation How can countries improve their human development? This article compares the national planning strategies of four countries with distinct approaches to human development. Purpose We explore what human development means and analyse, from a comparative perspective, how human development is present in the national planning strategies in Bhutan, Colombia, Ecuador, and Sweden. Methods and approach We collect the national planning strategy documents of these four countries. We use a deductive approach to code these data based on Sen’s human development theoretical framework, namely the five instrumental freedoms that are the primary ends and means of development: political freedoms, economic facilities, social opportunities, transparency guarantees, and protective security. Findings Our findings reveal that, despite varying socioeconomic and political conditions, and distinct strategies to achieve human development, these countries ultimately articulate similar challenges in their efforts to achieve human development, which include globalization and economic diversification, climate change, rising inequality, ineffective public administration, and demographic changes. Policy implications We further explore these challenges to better understand how national planning strategies can improve human development. Because the solutions for improving human development are interrelated and must be conducted in a comprehensive way, national planning strategies are important for their co‐ordination. We conclude that there are common challenges for countries looking ahead to achieve human development, no matter their political, economic, social, and cultural conditions. Our audience is present and future development scholars and decision‐makers.