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Rethinking Human Development in the Middle East and North Africa: The Missing Dimensions

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  • Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

Abstract

In this paper I review the state of human development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and its evolution in the past four decades. I highlight the following salient characteristics of MENA economies that shape human development in the region: high income from hydrocarbon exports, which drive a wedge between individual productivity and consumption; demographic factors, such as delayed fertility transition and rapid growth of the youth population; imbalances in the labor markets, evidenced by high rates of youth unemployment and low participation of women in the labor market; high investment in schooling but with low productivity of education; and imbalance in marriage markets resulting in delayed marriage. I argue that these regional characteristics affect welfare and human development in MENA countries deeply but in ways that are not easily captured by standard human development measurement.

Suggested Citation

  • Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, 2013. "Rethinking Human Development in the Middle East and North Africa: The Missing Dimensions," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 341-370, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:14:y:2013:i:3:p:341-370
    DOI: 10.1080/19452829.2013.764851
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani & Nadia Hassine & Ragui Assaad, 2014. "Equality of opportunity in educational achievement in the Middle East and North Africa," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 12(4), pages 489-515, December.
    2. World Bank, 2004. "Gender and Development in the Middle East and North Africa : Women in the Public Sphere," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15036.
    3. World Bank, 2004. "Unlocking the Employment Potential in the Middle East and North Africa : Toward a New Social Contract," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15011.
    4. Marco Manacorda & Enrico Moretti, 2006. "Why do Most Italian Youths Live with Their Parents? Intergenerational Transfers and Household Structure," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 4(4), pages 800-829, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Caroline Krafft & Ragui Assaad, 2020. "Employment’s Role in Enabling and Constraining Marriage in the Middle East and North Africa," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(6), pages 2297-2325, December.
    2. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani & Nadia Hassine & Ragui Assaad, 2014. "Equality of opportunity in educational achievement in the Middle East and North Africa," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 12(4), pages 489-515, December.
    3. Adely, Fida Issa J. & Mitra, Ankushi & Mohamed, Menatalla & Shaham, Adam, 2021. "Poor education, unemployment and the promise of skills: The hegemony of the “skills mismatch” discourse," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    4. Challú, Amílcar E. & Silva-Castañeda, Sergio, 2016. "Towards an anthropometric history of latin America in the second half of the twentieth century," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 226-234.
    5. Desai, Raj M. & Olofsgård, Anders & Yousef, Tarik, 2018. "Signaling Dissent: Political Behavior in the Arab World," SITE Working Paper Series 45, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics.

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