CBS to conduct Multiple Indicator Survey from February 21

Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) is carrying out Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey-2014 on the condition of women and children in the country from February 21.

The survey to be carried out in support with UNICEF will collect data of 13,000 households, including women aged between 15-49 years and children below five years from 520 different clusters across the country, according to the CBS. The target locations would comprise of 126 clusters from three urban and 394 rural areas. Twenty five households would be included in each cluster.

According to UNICEF representative to Nepal Hanna Singer, the five-year interval of survey which had been conducted in 50 countries since 1995 has been reduced to three from this year. "Such a survey is being conducted in 40 countries, including Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam and Kenya," she said, adding that the findings of the survey will contribute to monitoring the progress made by the concerned country to improve the condition of women and children as indicated in Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to be achieved by 2015.

Female enumerators will be mobilised for interviewing women so that they feel comfortable discussing about their reproductive health and rights, the use of contraceptive, maternal and child health care, and domestic violence. Likewise, the questionnaire related to children will have immunisation, early child care and development, breastfeeding and birth registration. The survey also aims at finding out the situation of child nutrition, applying anthropometry to measure children's height and weight.
In addition to the target data, e.coli – a harmful germ found in drinking water – will also be physically tested in each household during the survey. It will be the first time that any national survey has included the test of e.coli in the drinking water that is the key cause of disease.

The survey that begins from the Kathmandu Valley on February 21 will be extended to all the five development regions and be complete within the next five months.

After the survey, a preliminary report will be prepared – by September – and the final report will be presented to the UN secretary general in March 2015.