BPS: Gap in Citizens' Quality of Life Decreases, Although Slowly

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Indonesia's Human Development Index (HDI) in 2021 reached a score of 72.79 out of 100 points, placing it in the "high" level.

The 2021 HDI figure grew by 0.49% from the previous year. This indicates an improvement, as in 2020 the annual growth was only 0.03%.

"As a measure of quality of life, the HDI is built through a three-dimensional basic approach. These dimensions include long and healthy life, knowledge, and decent living," explained the BPS on its official website.

"The higher the HDI value of a country/region, the better its human development achievement," the BPS continued.

(Also Read: [Human Development Index of Yogyakarta City Highest in Indonesia](https://databoks.katadata.co.id/datapublish/2022/05/09/indeks-pembangunan-manusia-kota-yogyakarta-tertinggi-di-indonesia))

Decreasing Inter-regional HDI Disparity

According to the BPS, over the last decade, the disparity or gap in the HDI between regions has also decreased.

"In the last decade, the inter-regional HDI gap has begun to decline, although at a relatively slow rate," the BPS explained in its *2021 Human Development Index* report released on Wednesday (11/5/2022).

"This disparity is measured by the range (difference) between the highest and lowest HDI values," explained the BPS.

In 2010, the difference between the highest and lowest HDI at the regency/city level reached 63.10 points. Then in 2021, the figure decreased to 54.34 points. This indicates an improvement in the equity of human development between regencies/cities.

However, at the provincial level, the decrease in inequality was not very significant.

In 2010, the disparity in the HDI between provinces was recorded at 21.87 points. Then in 2021, the figure only slightly decreased to 20.49 points. Although decreasing, the disparity in the quality of life of citizens between provinces in 2021 was not much different from a decade ago.

The BPS also noted that at the regency/city level within a province, the highest HDI disparity occurred in Papua Province, indicating that there are still many problems related to development equity in that province.

"These problems include the suboptimal implementation of special autonomy, the development of superior potential based on natural resources, infrastructure and connectivity development, and the limited provision of basic services and vulnerability to social inequality and poverty," wrote the BPS in its report.

(Also Read: [Ahead of Expansion, Papua Residents' Income Remains Highly Disparate](https://databoks.katadata.co.id/datapublish/2022/04/28/jelang-pemekaran-pendapatan-warga-papua-masih-sangat-timpang))