While rapid economic growth has led a striking reduction in poverty across South Asia over the past 25 years, absolute poverty persists on a significant scale. Second, there has been a rapid increase in economic inequality as income distribution has become far more unequal. Third, economic growth has not led to commensurate employment creation. Fourth, when compared with the rest of Asia, South Asian countries remain laggards in terms of social development, and situated in the context of SDG parameters. It is likely that the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic could accentuate each of these problems. The South Asia Cooperation and Development Report will focus on country experiences to explore these common sets of issues in the region.
