Human development and minority empowerment: Exploring regional perspectives on peace in South Asia

Abstract

South Asia is the sub-Himalayan southern region of the Asian continent, comprising eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. South Asia has a population of about 1.6 billion, which is characterized by significant cultural divergences between and within the states. An estimated 2,000 ethnic groups, at least six ethnic-linguistic families and several major faiths make South Asia one of the most diverse regions on earth. The states and societies in this vast region face challenges on several fronts. The major challenge is to achieve the social and political stability that is needed to enable their progress towards increased human development. Several factors, however, make the prospects of progress daunting. The rise in the region’s population is a key challenge. A large part of the population in South Asia lives in abject poverty.