Sierra Leone has been ranked 184th out of 193 countries by the recently released United Nations Development Program (UNDP) 2023-24 Human Development Index.”

This indicates a drop of three positions from Sierra Leone’s previous rank of 181st in 2021. The Human Development Index (HDI) score for Sierra Leone was 0.458 in 2022, a decrease from the previous year’s score of 0.477. These statistics, available on the UNDP’s official website. underscore the persistent challenges confronting the nation in advancing significant developmental strides.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a holistic gauge that evaluates average accomplishments across three vital domains of human development: longevity, education, and standard of living. Sierra Leone’s decline in the rankings highlights the pressing necessity for focused interventions aimed at enhancing these fundamental facets of human welfare.

Furthermore, citizens of Sierra Leone persist in confronting economic adversities, as evidenced by the Market Prices Bulletin for Quarter 4, 2023, released by WFPS_Leone. The purchasing ability of the typical individual has dwindled owing to the escalation in prices of vital commodities and the stagnation of daily wages, compounding the difficulties encountered by the populace.

The Human Development Index (HDI) serves as a condensed metric assessing key dimensions of human development: health, education, and standard of living. It represents the geometric mean of normalized indices for each dimension, incorporating factors such as life expectancy, educational attainment, and gross national income per capita. While the HDI simplifies the evaluation of human development, it does not encompass aspects such as inequalities, poverty, or empowerment. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of a country’s development necessitates analysis of additional indicators and information provided in the Human Development Report (HDR) statistical annex.