UN Expert Group Proposes 31 Economic Indicators Beyond GDP as Rights-Based Metrics Gain Ground
Updated
Updated · Human Rights Watch · May 21
UN Expert Group Proposes 31 Economic Indicators Beyond GDP as Rights-Based Metrics Gain Ground
2 articles · Updated · Human Rights Watch · May 21
A UN Secretary-General-appointed expert group has proposed a 31-indicator dashboard to measure economic progress beyond GDP, adding metrics tied to health, education, discrimination, intimate partner violence, inequality and public trust.
The report argues GDP-heavy policymaking misses whether people can access public services, enjoy labor rights or live under accountable institutions, making it a poor guide to vulnerability and resilience.
It also calls for a headline indicator aggregating multiple dimensions so borrowing costs, credit assessments and other decisions rely less on output alone and more on human rights and sustainability.
A second UN report released on April 21 by Special Rapporteur Olivier de Schutter backs the shift with policies including stronger public-service funding, universal social security and labor-rights protections.
The proposals stop short of implementation: governments and international institutions would need to adopt the new measures for the UN push to meaningfully redirect economic incentives.
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Can nations fund the UN's well-being goals when central banks are sounding the alarm on unsustainable government debt?
Beyond GDP: The UN’s "Counting What Counts" Report and the New Global Dashboard for Measuring Progress
Overview
In May 2026, the UN High-Level Expert Group released the landmark 'Counting What Counts' report, marking a major shift away from using GDP as the only measure of national progress. The report highlights the urgent need for new metrics that go beyond traditional economic indicators to better capture the real challenges and opportunities facing societies. Alongside the report, the first global dashboard was launched to measure progress beyond GDP, reflecting a growing global consensus that economic output alone cannot show true well-being. This new approach aims to provide a more complete and accurate picture of development for people and the planet.