Concretize the “Functioning and Capabilities” Paradigm for Sustaining Development in Africa
Presenter's country
Morocco
Start Date
28-5-2016 2:05 PM
End Date
28-5-2016 3:10 PM
Location
Hall I
Submission type
Presentation
Abstract
The “functioning and capabilities” paradigm has become an important approach that has shifted the focus of development from economic growth to human wellbeing. As a result of its theoretical and philosophical attractiveness, many scholars have begun to investigate its application within the realm of education, health, food security, development and many other fields. In the same context, this paper intends to investigate how the “functioning and capabilities” approach can be applied, in regards to sustaining development in Africa; the continent which stands out as the region with some of the worst health and mortality indices and a poorly Human Development Index.
Moreover, in spite of the high growth that Africa has experienced in recent years, most African countries are showed to face with worsening poverty and inequalities, indicating lack of inclusion in the development process and its outcome. Thus, poverty dimensions should be integrated in socio-economic decisions to achieve the growth inclusiveness and to assure improved living standards. Therefore, to establish sustainable development in Africa and to address appropriately the challenge of poverty reduction, a holistic approach is highly needed. In the same vein, the proposed paradigm in this paper, can be very useful because it focus on opportunities rather than outcomes and targets both resources and the means to use these resources.
The present paper will propose some theoretical and practical applications of the capability approach that form the foundation of some interventions, consecrated to the improvement of situation in the Africa. The aim of such intervention would be identifying the capabilities that citizens have, so that improvement efforts can be designed for their expansion.
Keywords
Development in Africa, “Functioning and Capabilities” paradigm, Human development.
Concretize the “Functioning and Capabilities” Paradigm for Sustaining Development in Africa
Hall I
The “functioning and capabilities” paradigm has become an important approach that has shifted the focus of development from economic growth to human wellbeing. As a result of its theoretical and philosophical attractiveness, many scholars have begun to investigate its application within the realm of education, health, food security, development and many other fields. In the same context, this paper intends to investigate how the “functioning and capabilities” approach can be applied, in regards to sustaining development in Africa; the continent which stands out as the region with some of the worst health and mortality indices and a poorly Human Development Index.
Moreover, in spite of the high growth that Africa has experienced in recent years, most African countries are showed to face with worsening poverty and inequalities, indicating lack of inclusion in the development process and its outcome. Thus, poverty dimensions should be integrated in socio-economic decisions to achieve the growth inclusiveness and to assure improved living standards. Therefore, to establish sustainable development in Africa and to address appropriately the challenge of poverty reduction, a holistic approach is highly needed. In the same vein, the proposed paradigm in this paper, can be very useful because it focus on opportunities rather than outcomes and targets both resources and the means to use these resources.
The present paper will propose some theoretical and practical applications of the capability approach that form the foundation of some interventions, consecrated to the improvement of situation in the Africa. The aim of such intervention would be identifying the capabilities that citizens have, so that improvement efforts can be designed for their expansion.