Last week the Nepal government in conjunction with UNDP launched its progress report and needs assessment for the resources needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

In the last 10 years, despite the political and social upheaval in the country, Nepal has made some significant progress on key MDG indicators. Nepal is on track for achieving targets for a number of MDG’s including; the proportion of population living on less than 1 US Dollar per day (17%); net enrollment rate in primary education (100 %); ratio of girls to boys at primary and secondary school (1:1); maternal mortality rates (213 / 100,000 live births); and the proportion of population using improved drinking water sources (73%).

However, it is unlikely that Nepal will made targets set for other key MDG indicators including: proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption; proportion of stunted and underweight children; retention rate for primary school enrolment; proportion of births attended by a skilled birth attendant; universal access to reproductive health services and the proportion of population using an improved sanitation facility.

The report calls for increased focus on the following types of interventions:

Goal 1: Poverty reduction: increase income and employment opportunities, improved agricultural practices and marketing.

Goal 2: Education: improvements in the quality of education, literacy and market orientated skills training.

Goal 3: Gender Equality: targeted programmes for widows, single and dalit women, increased awareness on gender issues.

Goal 4, 5 & 6: Health: strengthen immunization and management of childhood illness; reproductive and women’s health; control of IV & AIDS

Goal 7: Environment (including watsan); improved water and sanitation access, increased investment in climate change adaptation etc.

UMN’s work in the technical areas of Education, Health, Peace and Sustainable Livelihoods directly impacts on a number of the areas identified above. The progress made nationally demonstrates the effectiveness of development programmes when implemented to a high standard, but the outstanding areas demonstrate the real needs that still exist in the country. UMN remains committed to working together with the Government and others towards the achievement of the MDGs in Nepal into the future.