Experts to explore social protection's role in reducing poverty, building resilience and investing in human capital

The government is committed to building a more inclusive social protection system that serves the needs of all, especially our children and the future generations.

Inaugurating the conference 'Resilient and Inclusive Social Protection: Investing in Human Capital Development', here today, the deputy prime minister and finance minister Bishnu Paudel reiterated the government's commitment. 

"This conference comes at a crucial time as Nepal is investing in its human capital,” he said at the conference organised jointly by the government, National Planning Commission (NPC), in partnership with UNICEF and the World Bank (WB), 

This is the second international conference on social protection -- organised in Kathmandu today and tomorrow -- that aims to foster critical dialogue on how social protection can be leveraged to reduce poverty, build resilience, and invest in the human capital of future generations.

Nepal is undergoing rapid economic, social, and demographic changes, with approximately 20 per cent of the population still living below the poverty line and significant inequality remaining a concern. Nepal’s Constitution guarantees the right to social security for vulnerable groups, but much of its investment in social protection has focused on the elderly, with limited attention to children and other vulnerable groups.

The vice chair of NPC Prof Dr Shivaraj Adhikari on the occasion, said that the government, through the Sixteenth Periodic Plan, has given high priority to human capital development. "It is necessary to increase investment in children for this purpose," he said, highlighting the fact that human development is both a means and an end in the context of the country's development. He also emphasised that social protection plays a crucial role in building human capital.

Although the government has been increasing investment in social protection, the investment made in social protection has had only a limited impact on reducing poverty, building human capital, and promoting resilience against shocks and risks that may arise at various stages of the human life cycle.

“By investing in the early years, including through universal child grants, we can break intergenerational cycles of poverty that hold back future generations," said Regional Director of UNICEF South Asia Sanjay Wijesekera. 

"Through this conference, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to the children and young people of Nepal, but we are also challenging ourselves to create a world where every child and young person, no matter his or her circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a brighter, more resilient future," he added.

The conference builds on the momentum of the 2019 International Conference on Social Protection, which promoted policy debate on strengthening social protection for children and the expansion of the child grant, establishment of an integrated registry, increased use of the cash plus approach, investment in productive employment and social security for the formal and informal sectors.

This year’s conference provides a platform to reflect on key progress in Nepal since 2019 and for knowledge exchange, learning from best practices, and collaboration towards achieving SDG Target 1.3, which calls for implementing nationally appropriate social protection systems for all.

“In the face of economic challenges, global conflicts and climate change, adaptive social protection systems are more critical than ever,” said World Bank Operations Manager for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka Preeti Arora. 

“Effective social protection can buffer vulnerable populations, including women, youth, and children from crises while enabling them to invest in education, healthcare, and other essential services that enhance human capital and their productivity," she added.

The conference brings together senior representatives from the government, UNICEF, the World Bank, regional and global social protection experts, and key stakeholders from various sectors.

On the occasion, director at the Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRC) Dr Michael Samson delivered the keynote address on ‘Investment in social protection for human capital, inclusion and resilience – Global Perspective.”

Nepal-Switzerland Bilateral Consultations Mechanism discuss development partnership

The fourth meeting of the Nepal-Switzerland Bilateral Consultations Mechanism (BCM) held at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in Bern, Switzerland today discuss a gamut of issues including development partnership.

Head of the Europe-Americas Division of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Joint Secretary Ganesh Prasad Dhakal and Assistant State Secretary for Asia and the Pacific in the FDFA of Switzerland Heinrich Schellenberg led the delegations of their respective countries, according to a press note issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Geneva.

Nepali delegation included ambassador of Nepal to Switzerland Ram Prasad Subedi and the Embassy Officials whereas the Swiss Delegation included officials from the FDFA and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed entire spectrum of Nepal-Switzerland relations including economic ties, development partnership, multilateral cooperation, and contemporary global issues such as climate change and human rights.

The two sides also discussed the exchange of high-level visits, Nepal’s graduation from LDC category, progress made towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and ways to further enhance bilateral cooperation on trade, investment, tourism, science and technology, and vocational training, among others, according to the press note.

On the occasion Joint Secretary Dhakal requested the Swiss side to encourage the participation of their investors in the upcoming Nepal Investment Summit being held in Kathmandu this month.

The Nepali side thanked the Swiss Government for consistently placing Nepal as a priority country for Swiss Development Cooperation. While expressing satisfaction over Nepal’s progress, the Swiss side assured of their continued support to Nepal’s development endeavours.

Following the meeting, the head of the Swiss delegation hosted a luncheon in honour of the visiting Nepali delegation.

Nepal-Switzerland Bilateral Consultations Mechanism was established in 2015 and the next meeting will be held in Kathmandu on mutually convenient dates.

Nepal-EU joint commission meeting discuss graduation from LDC, GSP

The 15th meeting of the Joint Commission (JC) between Nepal and the European Union (EU) discussed gamut of bilateral issues including graduation from LDC, GSP and investment promotion, in Kathmandu today.

A broad range of issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting, according to a press note issued by the Foreign Ministry.

Nepal and the EU are also celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year.

The meeting was co-chaired by foreign secretary Sewa Lamsal and deputy managing director for Asia and the Pacific of the European External Affairs Service of the EU Paola Pampaloni.

The two sides reiterated their commitment to work together in upholding democracy and human rights, promoting good governance, realising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting investment, and coping against global challenges such as climate change.

The Nepali side, on the occasion, highlighted achievements and bottlenecks in the realisation of SDGs.

Likewise, the EU welcomed Nepal’s transition strategy to graduate from LDC status and expressed their commitment to continue their cooperation through the Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP).

Nepal welcomed the EU’s MIP for the term 2021-2027. The Nepali side also appreciated the MIP for aligning with the plans and priorities of Nepal.

Nepal and the EU also reviewed the progress of EU’s development cooperation in various sectors.

The meeting acknowledged the sub-commission meeting on development cooperation held on March 6.

On regional and multilateral processes, Nepal and the EU also discussed about SAARC and BIMSTEC. The two sides underlined the importance of effective multilateral cooperation.

The EU praised Nepal’s contributions to UN Peacekeeping Operations, the press note reads, adding that Nepal and the EU reaffirmed their commitments to cooperate within the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisation (WTO), and other global fora to promote effective multilateralism and the rules-based international order. "Human rights including social inclusion were also discussed at the meeting."

The Nepali side reaffirmed its commitment to upholding human rights and concluding transitional justice as soon as possible.

The EU expressed hope on the early conclusion of Nepal’s peace process. 

The two sides unanimously agreed that corruption, including money laundering and financing of terrorism, is a major impediment to sustainable development.

The EU took note of Nepal’s ongoing legislative efforts and underlined the importance of compliance and enforcement, the press note adds.

The EU commended Nepal’s remarkable strides on inclusive participation and women empowerment. Both sides praised the EU flagship action 'Empowered Women, Prosperous Nepal', launched last year by the EU and the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens of Nepal.

The EU commended Nepal for the child grant schemes and encouraged its expansion.

The EU also appreciated the achievements made by Nepal in its socio-economic transformation. The two sides appraised the recent developments in upholding the democratic processes and institutions, and stressed the important role of civil society and media for strengthening democracy and good governance.

"The Nepali side underlined their multiple vulnerabilities of natural disasters, exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, and discussed climate adaptation finance," it reads, adding that the EU complimented Nepal for its position on Climate Change and the ‘Mountain Agenda’ during COP28 and also on its ambitious goal of reaching net zero carbon status by 2045.

"The Nepali side expressed gratitude for the EU's generous assistance following the Jajarkot earthquake, in post-earthquake resilient reconstruction and recovery efforts, and appreciated the cooperative partnership in disaster risk reduction."

The two sides exchanged their views on bilateral trade relations, including the criteria for acceding to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).

Nepal, on the occasion, also expressed appreciation for the exchanges under the Erasmus+ programme, and the scholarships offered for Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree programmes, including people-to-people contacts. 

The EU and Nepal underlined that air safety remains a key priority area in their bilateral relations. Nepal assured of addressing all observations of the EU’s assessment visit in September 2023, while the EU will support Nepal in this process. Both sides agreed to follow-up at technical levels.

The next Joint Commission meeting will take place in Brussels next year.

Nepal sees some progress, experiences slow progress and regression in others in SDGs

Nepal has seen some progress in areas such as sustainable urban expansion and spatial data generation for various indicators (including 11.2.1-Urban access to public transport, and 11.3.1-ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate, and 11.7.1-measures the share of land allocated to public spaces and the total population with access of these spaces by age, gender and disability)

However, there are areas where Nepal is experiencing slow progress and regression, particularly in achieving food security and combating undernourishment (Goal 2) and reducing inequalities within and among countries (Goal 10), according to a UN report.

The report published by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) also underscores the importance of addressing these challenges and customising strategies to address specific issues in Nepal.

Despite improvements in data collection, significant data gaps still exist, it reads, adding that gender equality (Goal 5) and peace, justice and strong institutions (Goal 16) continue to have the least available data. "This report assesses Nepal’s SDG progress at the global level indicators; and we should be careful interpreting this report in relation to the SDG Report of the Government of Nepal that uses nationalised indicators to assess the SDG progress."

The report -- published today -- also provides an overview of current progress towards the SDGs in the Asia-Pacific region.

Progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains uneven and inadequate across various segments of the population and within the five subregions of Asia and the Pacific, according to the report published by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) today, gender and location remain key factors in determining levels of poverty and inequality in the region.

“While additional efforts are required across the board, granular data emphasizes the urgency of addressing inequalities that impact marginalized groups, including women, girls, rural populations and the urban poor, who continue to find themselves locked out of education and employment opportunities,” underscored United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.

“Equally, the sustained progress gap revealed between countries in special situations, especially Pacific small island developing States, and the rest of the region demands a concerted response from international, regional and national partners,” added Ms. Alisjahbana.

The Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024 takes a closer look at groups that may be disadvantaged, focusing on how sex, urbanization, education level, age and income contribute to existing disparities and sometimes exacerbate them.

Despite overall progress in school enrolment rates, women and girls in the region continue to face considerable challenges when it comes to accessing education and employment opportunities. They have lower enrolment rates and struggle with literacy. Young women also encounter difficulties accessing labour markets, leading to higher rates of youth unemployment. Meanwhile, the challenges faced by men tend to be related to their health or personal safety. They suffer from higher rates of suicide, chronic diseases and road traffic deaths.

People living in rural areas face pronounced disadvantages, such as limited access to basic drinking water and sanitation facilities. Additionally, the lower availability of clean cooking fuels in these areas contributes to serious respiratory diseases. In general, urban areas exhibit better conditions, yet paradoxically, within these areas, the poorest boys and girls face significant hurdles in completing upper secondary education.

At its current pace, the report further highlights that the region will not achieve all 17 SDGs before 2062 – marking a significant 32-year delay. While positive steps have been taken toward eliminating poverty (Goal 1) and bolstering sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure (Goal 9) in the region, progress in other critical areas has been more modest. Efforts towards mitigating hunger (Goal 2), enhancing health and well-being (Goal 3), ensuring the availability of clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), expanding affordable and clean energy (Goal 7) and building sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11) have been less pronounced and require heightened attention.

On a more encouraging note, the report shares several laudable national success stories on supporting at-risk population groups. In the Philippines, dedicated research and analysis aimed at estimating the cost of supporting children living with a disability played a pivotal role in influencing recent legislation to provide a disability allowance, extending support to children with disabilities. Nationwide digital training programmes in Viet Nam have underscored the value of public-private partnerships in accelerating digital transformation and bridging the skills and employment gap for youth and migrant workers. Meanwhile, in North and Central Asia, national statistical systems in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have been upgraded to better support stateless populations.

An annual publication produced by ESCAP, the Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report uses the latest data for global SDG indicators to determine where additional effort is needed in the region and where momentum for future progress is building.

IFC report claims increase in financial inclusion

Nepal has seen significant progress in financial inclusion over the past decade, claims a new study.

The Nepal Financial Inclusion Report 2023 – prepared by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) under the Access to Financial Services Nepal Project jointly implemented by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) and IFC – reveals that overall usage of financial services is strong in Nepal, with payments via banks being the most popular service, at 75 per cent. 

At a time, when majority of Terai Madhesh population – especially the women population – is suffering from loan-sharks, and forced to march on foot for 10 days to Federal capital Kathmandu in search of justice and security of their property, the report also indicates a decrease in the gender gap. The government was forced to sign agreement with the victims promising to criminalise the loan-sharks.

In 2022, the disparity between women and men with access to formal financial services had decreased to 1 per cent (89 per cent women versus 90 per cent men), compared to the 2014 figures of 57 per cent and 64 per cent, respectively, the report claims.

This is in line with the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, which shows that economic participation and opportunities for women in Nepal have consistently improved – from 116th in 2013 to 107th in 2021 and 98th in 2022, with an overall ranking of 96, which is second only to Bangladesh in South Asia.

However, there remains a disparity in the utilisation of banking services between women and men, with 79 per cent of women using the services compared to 83 per cent of men, the report reads, revealing that other formal financial service providers are strong competitors to banks, with comparative usage statistics across key services such as accounts and credit, and overtaking banks in terms of savings products.

"The report indicates that considerable progress has been made in extending financial inclusion to a larger segment of the Nepali people," central bank governor Maha Prasad Adhikari said after launching the report.

The survey also reveals a strong connection between the use of financial services and the target group and level of schooling, with salaried staff having the highest utilisation and those without any academic education having the least.

Possessing a bank account is seen as a pathway to financial inclusion, with significantly higher usage of both banking and other formal financial services being observed among those with a bank account compared to those without.

The study further explored the main impediments to the use of financial services. It was discovered that many people without a bank account either did not need one, had insufficient funds after expenditure, or did not have the necessary funds to open an account.

Additionally, a lack of awareness regarding the process of opening a mobile money account, the complexity of using a mobile money platform, and the lack of access to agents or points of service were all reported as barriers.

"Financial inclusion is essential for sustainable socio-economic development," country representative for IFC in Nepal Babacar S Faye said, adding that with the advancement of technology, access to finance can be made more inclusive and affordable, to the benefit of those who are unbanked or underserved, as well as the financial system as a whole.

Likewise Global Programme Advisor at UNCDF Kameshnee Naidoo commented that financial inclusion is essential for Nepal to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "Our report shows that while there has been progress, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all citizens can access the financial services they need to create a better future,” she said, adding that UNCDF remains committed to working with public and private sector partners to help build this future where no one is left behind in the digital era

“Financial inclusion is key to Nepal's SDGs attainment and LDC graduation as it can facilitate a larger variety of actors to serve the low-income market, allow people to meet their basic needs and enable government to generate additional flows of domestic capital towards sustainable investments,” UN Resident Coordinator to Nepal Hanaa Singer-Hamdy tweeted.

The study was conducted with the technical input of UNCDF, to provide indicators for the Nepal Rastra Bank’s Financial Inclusion Roadmap and Action Plan (2017-2022).

It focused on the usage of financial services and obtained data from a sample of 2,528 adults aged 16 or older. The findings of the survey and the 2021 Nepal Financial Inclusion Making Access Possible (MAP) Refresh study by UNCDF were utilised to assess financial inclusion through the World Bank Group’s three categories: Access, Usage, and Quality.

The Nepal Financial Inclusion Report also outlines measures to increase financial inclusion, including reforming the secured transaction registry system, enacting comprehensive legal and regulatory frameworks, improving consumer protection and financial literacy, and updating the Nepal Financial Inclusion Action Plan-2030.

The Nepal Financial Inclusion Report also outlines measures to increase financial inclusion, including reforming the secured transaction registry system, enacting comprehensive legal and regulatory frameworks, improving consumer protection and financial literacy, and updating the Nepal Financial Inclusion Action Plan-2030.

Governor Adhikari and Global Programme Advisor at UNCDF, Dr Kameshnee Naidoo, had jointly launched the Nepal Financial Inclusion Report on April 28.

JICA, Dolma Impact sign $10 million investment pact to aid growth

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) today signed a $10 million investment agreement with Dolma Impact Fund II, focusing investments in renewable energy, technology and healthcare in Nepal.

The fund also contributes to gender equality and fulfills the criteria in the ‘2X Challenge: Financing for Women’, an initiative adopted by the G7 development finance institutions, including JICA, on the occasion of the G7 Leaders' Summit in June 2018, according to a press note issued by JICA and Dolma Impact Fund, jointly. 

According to Dolma Impact Fund, the project will contribute to sustainable development goals – Goal 5 (Gender equality), Goal 7 (Affordable and clean energy), and Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth).

Chief executive officer of Dolma Impact Fund Tim Gocher, while addressing the signing ceremony in Kathmandu through the virtual medium, said Nepal would see a huge increase in foreign direct investments in the coming future that would create more jobs, prosperity and stronger industrial development.

The Dolma Impact Fund has $100 million under management and has invested in 12 companies across energy, healthcare and technology.

“Nepal needs more aid in hospitals, trained doctors and nurses and medicines manufactured domestically, so that the country can support itself in a future crisis,” Gocher said, adding that Dolma is further investing in renewable energy apart from the existing 46.5 megawatt project (MW), with JICA. “We just do not promote and build renewable energy, we promote the capital markets too, so that more investors come into the sector.”

The Fund has invested in companies like CloudFactory, Fusemachines, Sastodeal, Upaya City Cargo, and Foodmandu. “About 15,000 employees have been created in companies that the Fund has invested in,” said Gocher.

“This is our first partnership with an investment partner in Nepal,” senior deputy director-general of the Private Sector Partnership and Finance Department of JICA Jin Wakabayashi said, adding that Dolma Impact Fund is a leading private equity fund and JICA is excited to partner with such a fund and contribute to the development of Nepal.

JICA has been supporting the Investment Board of Nepal to strengthen sources for investments, he said, adding that JICA has also been in technical cooperation for hydropower projects. “Recently, JICA has started a new technical cooperation project to support entrepreneurs in Nepal.”

JICA's investment will be mainly utilised for equity investment in healthcare companies, IT and digital companies, and renewable energy projects in Nepal. JICA’s investment is part of the final close of Dolma Impact Fund II, which brings the fund corpus to $71.96 million.

“Nepal is facing the challenge of a hollowing out of industry caused by the increased number of migrant workers, which, in turn, is due to a lack of promising domestic industries and job opportunities in Nepal,” the press note reads, adding that the fosterage of promising industries such as healthcare and the IT and digital sector, therefore, is urgently needed in Nepal. 

Dolma Fund Management contributes to the development of the stock market and the private equity fund market in Nepal.

Although Nepal experienced a temporary economic downturn due to the earthquake in 2015, the economy has revived since then and the country is now expected to graduate from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category by 2026. On the other hand, Nepal is facing the

challenge of a hollowing out of industry caused by the increased number of migrant workers, which in turn is due to the lack of promising domestic industries and job opportunities in Nepal.

Therefore, the fosterage of promising industries such as healthcare and the IT/digital sector is urgently needed in Nepal, the press note reads. “In some areas, however, Nepal has a natural advantage, being blessed with abundant water resources and an economically viable hydropower generation potential estimated at around 42,000 MW. Hence, Nepal is expected to expand its renewable generation capacity to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in South Asia.”

DFM manages impact investment funds that promote industrial development, employment creation, and renewable energy development.

Remittances grow by 5 per cent in 2022 despite global headwinds

Remittances to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) withstood global headwinds in 2022, growing by an estimated 5 per cent to $626 billion, according to a report.

“This is sharply lower than the 10.2 per cent increase in 2021, according to the latest World Bank Migration and Development Brief published on Wednesday. 

Remittances are a vital source of household income for LMICs, it reads, adding that they alleviate poverty, improve nutritional outcomes, and are associated with increased birth weight and higher school enrollment rates for children in disadvantaged households. “Studies show that remittances help recipient households to build resilience, for example through financing better housing and to cope with the losses in the aftermath of disasters.”

Remittance flows to developing regions were shaped by several factors in 2022. A reopening of host economies as the Covid-19 pandemic receded supported migrants’ employment and their ability to continue helping their families back home, the report reads. “Rising prices, on the other hand, adversely affected migrants’ real incomes. Also influencing the value of remittances is the appreciation of the ruble, which translated into higher value, in US dollar terms, of outward remittances from Russia to Central Asia.”

In the case of Europe, a weaker euro had the opposite effect of reducing the US dollar valuation of remittance flows to North Africa and elsewhere. In countries that experienced scarcity of foreign exchange and multiple exchange rates, officially recorded remittance flows declined as flows shifted to alternative channels offering better rates.

“Migrants help to ease tight labour markets in host countries while supporting their families through remittances,” World Bank Global Director for Social Protection and Jobs, Michal Rutkowski said, adding that inclusive social protection policies have helped workers weather the income and employment uncertainties created by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Such policies have global impacts through remittances and must be continued.”

By region, Africa stands to be the most severely exposed to the concurrent crises, including severe drought and spikes in global energy and food commodity prices. Remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa are estimated to have increased by 5.2 per cent compared with 16.4 per cent last year. In other regions, remittance flows are estimated to have increased by 10.3 per cent to Europe and Central Asia, where rising oil prices and demand for migrant workers in Russia supported remittances, in addition to the currency valuation effect. In Ukraine, remittance growth is estimated at 2 per cent, lower than earlier projections as funds for Ukrainians were sent to countries hosting them, and hand-carried money transfers likely increased.

Growth in remittance flows is estimated at 9.3 per cent for Latin America and the Caribbean, 3.5 per cent in South Asia, 2.5 per cent in the Middle East and North Africa, and 0.7 per cent in East Asia and the Pacific. In 2022, for the first time a single country, India, is on track to receive more than $100 billion in yearly remittances.

In a special feature on climate-driven migration, the Brief notes that rising pressures from climate change will both drive increases in migration within countries and impair livelihoods. The poorest are likely to be most affected as they often lack the resources necessary to adapt or move. Studies show that migration can play a role in coping with climate impacts, for example, by providing an escape from disasters and also through remittances and other forms of support to affected households. Changes in the international legal norms and institutional frameworks for migration may be required to cope with the challenge of climate-related migration, particularly in the context of cross-border mobility, as is the case for small island nations.

“People throughout history have responded to deteriorating climates by moving to survive,” lead author of the Brief and head of the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD) Dilip Ratha said, adding that planning for safe and regular migration as a part of adaptation strategies will be required for managing displacement in the affected regions as well as the influx of people in the receiving communities. “National and regional development strategies should be viewed through a climate migration lens.”

Also reported in the Brief is the cost of sending $200 across international borders to LMICs, which remains high at 6 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022, according to the Remittances Prices Worldwide Database. It is cheapest to send via mobile operators (3.5 per cent), but digital channels account for less than 1 per cent of total transaction volume. Digital technologies allow for significantly faster and cheaper remittance services. However, the burden of compliance with Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regulations continues to restrict access of new service providers to correspondent banks. These regulations also affect migrants’ access to digital remittance services.

Regional Remittance Trends

Remittances to South Asia grew an estimated 3.5 per cent to $163 billion in 2022, but there is large disparity across countries, from India’s projected 12 per cent gain – which is on track to reach $100 billion in receipts for the year – to Nepal’s 4 per cent increase, to an aggregate decline of 10 per cent for the region’s remaining countries. The easing of flows reflects the discontinuation of special incentives some governments had introduced to attract flows during the pandemic, as well as preferences for informal channels offering better exchange rates. Remittances to India were enhanced by wage hikes and a strong labor market in the US and other OECD countries. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) destination countries, governments ensured low inflation through direct support measures that protected migrants’ ability to remit. Sending $200 to the region cost 4.1 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022, down from 4.3 per cent a year ago, the report adds.

The Migration and Development Brief analyzes trends in migration-related SDG indicators: increasing the volume of remittances as a percentage of GDP, reducing remittance costs, and reducing recruitment costs.

Remittances to the East Asia and Pacific region are estimated to have increased by 0.7 per cent to $134 billion in 2022, arresting the decline of the previous two years. Labour shortages in the hospitality and health sectors of high-income economies and higher oil prices benefiting Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries boosted demand for workers in 2022, which supported remittances. However, remittances to China are estimated to have dropped by nearly 4 per cent, driven by restrictions on workers from traveling abroad due to Covid-related policies. Remittances as a share of GDP are significant in Tonga (50 per cent) and Samoa (34 per cent). In 2023, remittances are projected to decline by 1 per cent due to weaker conditions in migrants’ destination countries. The cost of sending $200 to the region rose to 6.2 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022 from 5.8 per cent a year earlier.

Remittance flows to Europe and Central Asia are estimated to have increased by 10.3 per cent to $72 billion in 2022. Rising oil prices and demand for migrant workers increased the flow of remittances from Russia to Central Asian countries. The appreciation of the ruble against the US dollar translated into higher value, in dollar terms, of outward remittances from Russia to Central Asia. Remittances to the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan exceed by 30 per cent of GDP. In 2023, remittance receipts are projected to moderate further to 4.2 per cent growth due to a softer outlook for major remittance-sending countries. The cost of sending $200 to the region rose slightly to 6.4 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022 (data excludes corridors originating in Russia).

Remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean are estimated to have grown by 9.3 per cent in 2022 to $142 billion. Data for the first nine months of 2022 show a 45 per cent increase for Nicaragua, 20 per cent for Guatemala, 15 per cent for Mexico, and 9 per cent for Colombia. Stronger employment of migrants from Latin America in the US contributed to remittance flows. Remittances received by migrants in transit also contributed to strong flows in Mexico and Central America. As a share of GDP, remittances exceed 20 per cent in El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, and Haiti. In 2023, remittances will likely moderate to 4.7 per cent growth due to a weaker economic outlook for the US, Italy, and Spain. Sending $200 to the region cost 6 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2021, up from 5.6 per cent a year ago.

Remittances to the developing countries of the Middle East and North Africa are estimated to have grown by 2.5 per cent in 2022 to $63 billion, compared to a 10.5 per cent growth last year. Slower growth in remittances is partly tied to the erosion of real wage gains in the Euro Area, even as demand for remittances in home countries increased amid deteriorating conditions, including drought in the Maghreb and high imported wheat prices. As a share of GDP, remittances are significant in Lebanon (38 per cent) and West Bank and Gaza (19 per cent). Remittance inflows are projected to grow by 2 per cent in 2023. Sending $200 to the region cost 6.3 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022, the report reads.

JICA to support programme for elevating international migrants

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) today signed a Record of Discussions with the government for the ‘Project on Career Development and Entrepreneurship Support Programme for International Migrants’, a technical cooperation project.

The project will be implemented for Career Development and Entrepreneurship Support Programme of the returnee migrants from Japan aiming at enhancing their information access and developing their capacity so that the industrial development of Nepal can be promoted, according to a press note issued by the JICA. The project adopts a demand-driven approach that supports returnee migrants, who want to acquire skills and competencies and further implement their acquired knowledge for establishing a productive business/career in Nepal eventually contributing to the economic development of Nepal, it reads, adding that the project intends to fulfill Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 8 ‘Decent Work & Economic Growth.’

The project plans to appoint mentors who continuously provide training to the returnees recipients for enhancing their capacity in career planning and entrepreneurship throughout the migration flow (pre -migration, while-in Japan and after returning).

The total period of the project is five years  from 2023 to 2027 and the Implementing Agency for the project is Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS), Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) and Foreign Employment Board (FEB), the press note of the Japanese development agency further reads.

Japan’s new cooperation to improve access to clean, safe water starts in Biratnagar

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a grant agreement with the government in Kathmandu today, to provide grant aid of up to 2.541 billion yen (equivalent to Rs 2.7 billion) for ‘The Project for the Improvement of Water Supply in Biratnagar.’

The project intends to upgrade and expand water supply facilities in the Biratnagar Metropolitan City contributing to the development of social and economic infrastructure, according to a press note issued by the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu.

Despite being the densely populated industrial city and the capital of Province 1, the city lacks adequate and potable water supply largely due to low quantity of water and dilapidated pipelines. “The project envisions to ensure adequate access to safe water for around 100,000 people in Biratnagar City by constructing and upgrading facilities like water treatment plants, clear water reservoirs, distribution main pipelines to name a few,” it reads.

In addition, serving as a countermeasure against infectious diseases, including Covid-19, the Project aims to contribute not only to the achievement of SDGs Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation) but also to Goal 3 (good health and well-being).

The signing marks another step of consistent support of Japanese assistance to Nepal in water supply sector, one of the fundamental sectors for socio economic development, the embassy press note adds.

Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Kikuta Yutaka, and finance secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini signed the notes to this effect today.

Likewise, another grant agreement for implementing the project was signed by the chief representative of JICA Nepal Okubo Akimitsu, and joint secretary at the International Economic Cooperation and Coordination Division of the Finance Ministry Ishwori Prasad Aryal.

This project aims to enhance the living standard of the people of Biratnagar City by renovating and expanding the water supply facilities, thereby broadening the water supply area in Biratnagar, according to the Finance Ministry. At present, people in Biratnagar have to depend on shallow wells to get water for daily household use and have been affected by shortage of safe drinking water.

“The Government of Japan has been providing multifaceted assistance for the betterment of the living standard of Nepali citizens,” Japan’s ambassador to Nepal Kikuta said, adding that Japan extended multiple support, including timely vaccine support to prevent and control Covid-19.

“This time, our assistance is providing safe water which is of vital importance for human life,” he said, expressing his hope that the support will be effectively utilised to upgrade the living standard of people in Biratnagar. “Japan is committed to extending all possible assistance to Nepal in its endeavor for nation-building and strengthening the friendly relationship between the peoples of Japan and Nepal.”

Links between migration and sustainable development discussed

Students today discussed on interlinkages between migration and sustainable development at an interactive event organised jointly by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to mark the SDGs Action Week 2021.

"The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises that migration, if managed well, can be a powerful driver of sustainable development to both the countries of origin and host,” said the UN resident coordinator for Nepal Sara Nyanti, addressing the event.

"Remittances inflow to Nepal contributes equal to nearly 30 per cent of the country’s GDP," she said, adding that it is crucial that all play role in making Nepali migration work for sustainable development.

The event was organised with the aim to sensitise and bring the young people into discussion about how migrant youths and well-governed migration contribute to achieve the sustainable development goals.

"Nepalis are working, studying, or living in over 100 countries across the world," IOM Nepal chief of mission Lorena Lando said addressing the inaugural session. "Over a million Nepalis have returned home since the pandemic hit the country in 2020 - many of them empty-handed," she said, adding that an IOM study conducted in September 2020 suggests that 50 per cent of the returned migrants desired for remigration citing lack of livelihood opportunities and poverty at home. "IOM sees an urgent need to set up an integrated rights-based and gender-responsive sustainable socio-economic reintegration package for the returnee communities."

Migration experts from IOM’s regional office in Bangkok and Headquarters in Geneva were among the presenters at the event, which was organised in collaboration with Samata School, an educational foundation serving the nation by providing education in much lower fee-structure with motto of 'Education for All'.

The programme is part of the UN Nepal initiative to bring together stakeholders to reinforce shared commitment between partners across government, civil society, business, academia, and the UN system to accelerate action on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) during an annual week of action, awareness, and accountability for the SDGs, called SDGs Action Week from September 17 to 28.

The global theme for the year is #TurnItAround for a healthy, green and just recovery and keep the promise of the SDGs.

WHO South-East Asia countries resolve to reorient and strengthen health systems

Taking lessons from the ongoing pandemic and emphasising a once-in-a-century opportunity, countries of WHO South-East Asia Region today adopted a Ministerial Declaration resolving to strengthen health system resilience to ensure health security, and achieve universal health coverage and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for health.

"Strong health systems that are primary health care-oriented, and which leave no one behind, create populations that are healthier, more productive and financially secure," regional director at WHO South-East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said at a ministerial round table during the ongoing seventy-fourth Regional Committee meeting. "Resilient health systems are the bedrock of emergency preparedness and response, and ensure that when acute events occur, essential health services can be maintained,” she added.

Through the Declaration adopted at the ministerial round table, member countries committed to provide political leadership and accountability to advance health security and progress towards universal health coverage and the health-related SDGs.

The member countries resolved to reorient health systems towards comprehensive primary health care through increased public investments, as the foundation for strengthening both public health emergency capabilities and achievement of universal health coverage.

"The pandemic has highlighted the urgency and importance of investment in human resource for health, especially at the primary health care level, and the need for adequate supply of affordable, effective, quality and safe medical products to ensure an effective response to public health emergencies and to build resilient health systems,” the regional director said.

The Declaration also commits to closer engagement with and the empowerment of communities to maintain the delivery of essential health services and public health programmes during and after the pandemic, according to a press note issued by the WHO South-East Asia Region office. "To roll-out effective response for at-risk and affected communities, member countries agreed to ensure integration of public health emergencies and disaster risk management strategies, as well as strengthening surveillance and preparedness capacity at the primary health care level."

Member countries additionally resolved to accelerate integration of noncommunicable diseases including mental health, and other programmes, at the primary health care level, as well as establishing national quality standards for primary health care services and ensuring access to quality health services during the pandemic and recovery phase.

Likewise, the member countries further agreed to appropriately leverage the potential of traditional systems of medicine, while optimising innovations in digital health technologies. The eclaration also emphasised the importance of leveraging additional resources and partnerships, including the important role of WHO, to support the development of national capacities to address public health emergencies and ensure the delivery of high-quality health services for all.

Over 4 billion people still lack social protection: ILO

Despite the unprecedented worldwide expansion of social protection during the Covid-19 crisis, more than four billion people around the world remain entirely unprotected, according to a new International Labour Organisation (ILO) report.

According to the report, the pandemic response was uneven and insufficient, deepening gap between countries with high and low income levels and failing to afford the muchneeded social protection that all human beings deserve. Social protection includes access to health care and income security, particularly in relation to old age, unemployment, sickness, disability, work injury, maternity or loss of a main income earner, as well as for families with children.

"Countries are at a crossroads," ILO director-general Guy Ryder said, adding that it is a pivotal moment to harness the pandemic response to build a new generation of rightsbased social protection systems. "These can cushion people from future crises and give workers and businesses the security to tackle the multiple transitions ahead with confidence and with hope."

"We must recognise that effective and comprehensive social protection is not just essential for social justice and decent work but for creating a sustainable and resilient future too," he added.

"The World Social Protection Report 2020-22: Social protection at the crossroads - in pursuit of a better future' gives a global overview of recent developments in social protection systems, including social protection floors, and covers the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The report identifies protection gaps and sets out key policy recommendations, including in relation to the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Currently, only 47 per cent of the global population are effectively covered by at least one social protection benefit, while 4.1 billion people (some 53 per cent) obtain no income security at all from their national social protection system.

There are significant regional inequalities in social protection.Europe and Central Asia have the highest rates of coverage, with 84 per cent of people being covered by at least one benefit. The Americas are also above the global average, with 64.3 per cent. Likewise, Asia and the Pacific (44 per cent), the Arab States (40 per cent) and Africa (17.4 per cent) have marked coverage gaps.

Worldwide, the vast majority of children still have no effective social protection coverage - only one in four children (26.4 per cent) receives a social protection benefit. Only 45 per cent of women with newborns worldwide receive a cash maternity benefit, the report reads, adding that only one in three persons with severe disabilities (33.5 per cent) worldwide receives a disability benefit. "Coverage of unemployment benefits is even lower; only 18.6 per cent of unemployed workers worldwide are effectively covered."

And while 77.5 per cent of people above retirement age receive some form of old-age pension, major disparities remain across regions, between rural and urban areas, and between women and men, it adds.

Government spending on social protection also varies significantly. On average, countries spend 12.8 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on social protection (excluding health), however high-income countries spend 16.4 per cent and low-income countries only 1.1 per cent of their GDP on social protection.

The report says that the financing gap -- the additional spending required to ensure at least minimum social protection for all -- has increased by approximately 30 per cent since the start of the Covid-19 crisis.

To guarantee at least basic social protection coverage, low-income countries would need to invest an additional $77.9 billion per year, lower-middle-income countries an additional $362.9 billion per year and upper-middle-income countries a further $750.8 billion per year, the report reads, adding that its equivalent to 15.9 per cent, 5.1  per cent and 3.1 per cent of their GDP, respectively.

"There is an enormous push for countries to move to fiscal consolidation, after the massive public expenditure of their crisis response measures, but it would be seriously damaging to cut back on social protection; investment is required here and now," director of ILO Social Protection Department Shahra Razavi said, adding that social protection is an important tool that can create wide-ranging social and economic benefits for countries at all levels of development. "It can underpin better health and education, greater equality, more sustainable economic systems, better managed migration and the observance of core rights."

Building the systems that can deliver these positive outcomes will require a mix of financing sources and greater international solidarity, particularly with support for poorer countries but the benefits of success will reach beyond national borders to benefit us all," she added.

Specific measures to promote universal social protection were highlighted in the 'Global Call to Action for a human-centred recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic'.

The call to action, which outlines a comprehensive agenda for recovery, was endorsed unanimously in June 2021 by the ILO's member states, representing governments, workers' and employers' organisations.

Nyanti becomes the new UN resident coordinator in Nepal

 Sara Beysolow Nyanti has been appointed as the new United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC) for Nepal. Nyanti presented her credentials to the foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali today as the UN Resident Coordinator to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. 

“I am truly delighted to start my tenure as the UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal,” she said, adding that it is a crucial time for the UN and the government as it relates to containing the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring a coordinated response that is not only medical but addresses the socio-economic challenges as well. “I am committed to our joined-up efforts to provide immediate and effective humanitarian support to Nepal in relation to not only the Covid-19 response, but to an overall effective emergency preparedness and response system.”

On behalf of the UN in Nepal, I express my commitment to support the government of Nepal and the stakeholders in pushing the envelope to build back not only better, but greener, and differently, she added.

Nepal’s aspiration of graduation from being a least developed country is one that the UN shares, and our support in this area will remain a priority, Nyanti sid, adding, “With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the heart of everything we do, I would like to reiterate the UN in Nepal’s focus on internalising the SDGs for stronger engagement with provincial and local governments in order to achieve the global agenda with a focus on gender equality.”

Nyanti brings more than 20 years of experience in development and humanitarian work to the position, which she has acquired from assignments around the world with the United Nations and externally, according to a press note issued by the UN in Nepal. “Within the Organisation, she most recently served as Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Yemen, where she set up programmes that provided cash assistance to nine million people, after occupying a similar position in the Gambia,” the press note reads, adding that she also held leadership positions across the UN in Jordan, Namibia, Nepal and Nigeria, working in multiple sectors and agencies on key issues such as Ebola response coordination. “

Prior to joining the United Nations, Nyanti worked as her country’s director of the National AIDS Control Programme in the health ministry. She authored the first Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria funding for the Liberia’s national AIDS response and led the development and subsequent legislation of the national AIDS policy, guidelines and law. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and is a globally accredited Partnership Broker.

Fourth South Asia SDG Forum calls for South Asian cooperation for sustainable and resilient recovery

 The fourth South Asia Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – organised by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Maldives' government virtually on December 2-3 – brought together over 450 participants from governments, think-tanks, and civil society organizations from eight South Asian countries.

Preceded by the South Asia People’s Forum on SDGs, the Forum reviewed the status of SDG achievements and the actions taken by the South Asian governments towards resilient and sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, including Bhutan and Pakistan that will present their second Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in 2021.

United Nations under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana advocated greater action on strengthened social protection and financing economic recovery through innovative financing strategies, accelerating digital transformation and greening recovery through the use of clean technology. She also reiterated the commitment of ESCAP in continuing to work closely with member States and other partners in the region.

Likewise, SAARC secretary-general Esala Ruwan Weerakoon on the occasion, highlighted cooperation initiatives such as the SAARC Emergency Fund to curb the pandemic's impact and urged member states to put SDGs at the center of all policy making and recovery planning. He also complimented ESCAP for its work on Covid-19 and for establishing the portal of the South Asia Network (SANS) on SDGs.

BIMSTEC secretary-general Tenzin Lekphell also emphasised the need for aligning plans with the 2030 Agenda and urged member states in South Asia to work together to address the impact of the pandemic and achieve the SDGs.

The forum serves as a subregional preparatory process for the 8th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) to be held in March 2021, on the theme of ‘Accelerating action and delivery of the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific’. Inputs from the Forum will also feed into the HLPF to be held in July 2021. The forum was followed by a special event on Disaster and Climate Resilience in South Asia with the participation of environment ministers of five South Asian countries.

Fifth edition of Global Migration Film Festival starts

 The fifth edition of the Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) in Nepal was launched virtually today at the 8th Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival (NHRIFF) with the screening of a short film on human trafficking and migration.

“Films are one of best media to communicate with both public and policy makers, which eventually become a tool to raise awareness, advocate and trigger discussions on topics that require wider attention,” said chief of Mission for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Nepal Lorena Lando, speaking at the inaugural session.

“With over 2.4 million Nepalis working in over 100 countries, according to Nepal Migration Profile 2019, and prevailing reports of Nepalis falling victims tohuman traffickers in the course of migration, we believe that the film we have selected to screen this year targeting youth as well as the decision makers will be helpful to contribute towards addressing the issue,” Lando added.

The GMFF is taking place across the world from November 30 and run tll December 18, despite the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic, according to the IOM. “This year’s GMFF also coincides with the ongoing celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the UN.”

Likewise, addressing the inaugural session National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) secretary Bed Prasad Bhattarai opined that such film festivals such as GMFF and NHRIFF help raise human rights issues while noting that Nepal’s national policies are in accordance to the international human rights instruments.

A post-screening panel discussion was followed by the Nepal-based short film ‘Pari of Pokhara’ – which depicts a story of a young woman, who has lost her mother and family home to an earthquake and falls into trap of human traffickers while she seeks employment and freedom in life.

Head of Anti-human Trafficking and Control Section atthe Ministry Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Goma Dhakal, a representative from civil society organisation, and the film’s director Babar Ali along with Reena Pathak representing the UN Nepal, discussed on various aspect of the film and the issues it raises.

“I only tell a story through the film and leave it to the audiences to interpret it,” said the film’s director Babar Ali. “Some might find the film only as love story while some find it as issues like human trafficking and migration, prevent in societies.”

The GMFF was launched in 2016 and by its fourth edition in 2019, it had been run in 108 countries, with over 58,000 people attending the over 700 screenings worldwide, according to a press note issued by the IOM, Kathmandu.

The goal of the Festival is to pave the way for greater discussion around one of the greatest phenomena of our time: migration. Furthermore, it is an innovative avenue for normalising and destigmatising discussions on migration through storytelling, and an advocacy tool that can draw attention to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thus helping all nations as they work to meet them.

Audiences were from government agencies, youths, civil society organisations, academia, researchers, and media for advocacy for safe and well governed migration.

ICIMOD gets new director general

 The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) gets a new director general.

The newly appointed director general Dr Pema Gyamtsho has taken up his role beginning his tenure as part of a major Ministerial Mountain Summit held today, according to a press note issued by the ICIMOD.

“A deeply experienced leader Dr Gyamtsho’s past achievements span areas including linking public financing for environmental sustainability; enactment of legislation focusing on environmental stewardship, conservation and climate change mitigation; ensuring an enabling policy environment and community-level readiness for the expansion of community owned and managed forests; establishment of institutions and efforts promoting high quality research and evidence-based decision making on conservation and environmental issues; strategic programmatic visioning, planning, implementation and evaluation; and representation within globally significant platforms,” the press note reads, adding that Dr Gyamtsho is the first director general of ICIMOD, who hails from the region. “He brings to the position a deep passion for the people of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) and a commitment to help address the challenges across the diversity of the region’s mountain environments.”

Within his vision for the future of the institution, he seeks to build on the institution’s strengths and successes in its role as a convener and facilitator for regional cooperation, it adds. “To this end, the timing of the start of his tenure during the recent HKH Ministerial Mountain Summit bringing together ministers from all eight of the HKH countries is significant.”

Having signed a joint ministerial declaration, the ministers agreed to promote a united voice for the region, to strengthen regional cooperation, to enhance uptake of scientific evidence, and to explore the potential for a high-level institutional mechanism.

Dr Gyamtsho has expressed his excitement about and commitment to work towards achieving the mission of ICIMOD for mountains and people of the Hindu Kush Himalaya, the press note reads.

“ICIMOD’s mission to enable sustainable and resilient mountain development for improved and equitable livelihoods through knowledge and regional cooperation and its vision of men, women, and children of the Hindu Kush Himalaya enjoying improved well-being in a healthy mountain environment are important to me individually as a person from the HKH myself but also important collectively for all of us as it represents work that contributes to a positive and prosperous future for the region,” Dr Gyamtsho said, while addressing the staff.

“It was a moment of great personal satisfaction to me to begin my tenure as the director general of ICIMOD during such an important event,” He said at the Ministerial Mountain Summit. “I am eager to move forward the HKH Call to Action which was at the heart of the ministerial declaration.”

The Call to Action is a culmination of a series of science-policy dialogues where policymakers in all eight HKH countries discussed the findings of the recently released comprehensive assessment, the Hindu Kush Himalaya assessment: mountains, climate change, sustainability and people. The HKH Call to Action was drafted through this process and is thus a product of the individual governments, capturing their individual and collective regional priorities for action to mitigate and adapt to climate change; to accelerate achievement of the SDG goals for the mountains; to enhance ecosystems resilience and halt biodiversity loss and land degradation; to recognise and prioritise the uniqueness of the HKH mountain people; to share more regional data and information; and to cooperate at all levels across the HKH for sustainable and mutual benefits.

While the current context of the Covid-19 pandemic deepens some of the challenges for the region, it is also an opportunity to build a better, more sustainable future and orient towards the kind of action that protects the pulse of the planet and leads towards a resilient recovery. Both the recently published policy paper, Covid-19 impact and policy responses in the Hindu Kush Himalaya and the HKH Call to Action highlight the often very complex challenges for the region but both documents also offer hope that through cooperative action among our HKH countries, we can face those challenges with even greater strength and resolve to forge a more prosperous HKH for all, he added.

The ICIMOD is a regional knowledge development and learning centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – and based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Globalisation and climate change have an increasing influence on the stability of fragile mountain ecosystems and the livelihoods of mountain people, and ICIMOD aims at assisting mountain people to understand these changes, adapt to them, and make the most of new opportunities, while addressing upstream-downstream issues.

UNFPA and UK Government handover IT equipment to Central Bureau of Statistics for census

 The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) handed over IT equipment today to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), as the later ramps up its preparations for the 12th National Population and Housing Census (NPHC).

The first census to be conducted under the new Constitution and federal structure is going to take place in June 2021.

According to a press note issued by the UNFPA, the IT equipment, which is worth $609,873 (Rs 72 million), has been procured by UNFPA with UKaid funding and comprises of 2,250 tablets with power-banks and accessories, 35 laptops, 47 desktop computers, five mobile work-stations, one server, three high resolution printers and relevant software licenses. “It will enable CBS to produce census data that meets the highest technological standards.”

The need for high-quality and reliable population data has been underscored by the global Covid-19 pandemic, and is also essential to measure Nepal’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with their strong commitment of leaving no one behind. The use of innovative technology in the 2021 NPHC – including tablets in selected census enumeration areas – will ensure that CBS captures detailed data on how many people are living in the country – disaggregated to the lowest administrative level¬– and how they are living – their health and well-being, problems and prospects and socio-economic circumstances, the press note reads, adding that the 2021 NPHC data will be invaluable for policymakers and planners to understand the situation across the country, development needs and where or how to invest in everything from schools to health care to roads.

The government is committed to conduct the 2021 NPHC in line with international standards, and to ensure that the data collected are used to improve the lives and realise the rights of those who are at risk of being left behind.

“We commit to undertake the census to address the data gaps at the lowest administrative level while ensuring that the health and safety precautions of our personnel and the respondents is in compliance with government guidance,” remarked director general of CBS Nebin Lal Shrestha. The CBS is leading census operations under the guidance of the National Census Steering Committee chaired by the National Planning Commission (NPC) vice chair.

The IT equipment will strengthen the CBS’s infrastructure and capacity and complements its efforts to modernise the census operation through amulti-method approach of data collection, the press note reads, adding that UNFPA is supporting Nepal to undertake the12thNPHC, recognising that reliable and timely data is the foundation of sustainable and inclusive development in Nepal. “The census is the cornerstone of the statistical infrastructure, it provides a numerical profile of the country hence is of great value to the public and government alike.”

UNFPA is proud to offer technical and financial support to Nepal to ensure that the census is of high-quality, upholds international standards, and produces data that are widely disseminated and utilised for development gains,” said UNFPA country representative in Nepal Lubna Baqi. “The UK’s support to Nepal always aims to be based on data that is reliable and which includes everyone,” she said, adding that the census is one of the most important chances to capture data so that any number of organisations – from government through to development partners and community organisations – can direct their assistance in the best way. “In turn this will help improve the services provided to women, men, children, poor, the vulnerable and other groups of people.”

“I am pleased that the UK has been able to contribute equipment and technology in this way through our partners at UNFPA and the CBS,” development director at the British Embassy Kathmandu Lisa Honan said.

Newly appointed EU envoy presents credentials to President

 Newly appointed ambassador and head of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Nepal Nona Deprez today presented her credentials to President Bidya Devi Bhandari, at a function held at the President’s Office.

“I am extremely honoured and happy to take up my duties as the EU ambassador to Nepal and look forward to discover the country, to meet the Nepalese and to work closely with all Nepali institutions, civil society, private sector, media, international partners and all relevant political, social and economic stakeholders,” ambassador Deprez has been quoted in a press note issued by the Delegation of the EU to Nepal.

Nepal and the EU have developed more than four decades of diplomatic and friendly relations, the ambassador said, stressing the need to work jointly on global issues in the wake of new challenges such as pandemics, climate change and threat to multilateralism has become an urgency.

The EU has been a reliable development partner and one of the biggest donors to Nepal for around half a century. 

The Delegation of the EU to Nepal – in the press note – said that EU has been cooperating on three priorities agreed with the government of Nepal: rural development, education and finally democracy and decentralization. “Furthermore, the EU supports Nepal in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in graduating from LDC status and in improving Nepal’s resilience to the adverse effects of climate change,” the Delegation of the EU to Nepal claimed, adding that the total assistance for the current programming cycle – 2014 to 2020 – amounts for Euro360 million, which is around Rs 50 billion. “When the Covid crisis hit Nepal, the EU provided immediate response in mobilising a package of Euro75 million, which is Rs 10 billion.”

The support was closely coordinated with the EU member states working as one in a streamlined ‘Team Europe Initiative’. The EU also helped raise Euro16 billion globally to finance research on vaccines, tests and treatments for the whole world.

ADB releases latest statistical report for Asia and Pacific

 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today launched the latest edition of its annual statistical report for the region, Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2020, and an update to its online database, Key Indicators Database.

Key Indicators 2020 presents a comprehensive set of economic, financial, social, and environmental indicators, including for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for ADB’s 49 regional members covering the years from 2000 to 2019, according to a press note issued by the multilateral development partner. “A key statistic in the report highlights how the region has become the biggest contributor to global gross domestic product (GDP), reaching a 34.9 per cent share in 2019 from 26.3 per cent in 2000.”

“The Asia and Pacific region has made tremendous development progress over the last two decades, becoming the biggest contributor to global GDP while lifting millions of people out of poverty,” ADB chief economist Yasuyuki Sawada said, adding that timely and accurate data enable us to take stock of this progress and areas that require further improvement. “Wide access to data, especially amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, will continue to contribute to the region’s progress on the path to more inclusive and sustainable development.”

Key Indicators 2020 highlights the expanding influence of Asia and the Pacific in global investment and trade. The region’s economies received more than one-third of total global direct investment in 2019, while the region’s global export share increased to 36.5 per cent in 2019 from 28.4 per cent in 2000.

More than half of the reporting economies in the region recorded a GDP growth rate of 4 per cent or higher in 2019. These gains are threatened, however, by the Covid-19 pandemic, with unemployment rising and income falling as lockdowns cause steep reductions in business operations and people’s activities in general.

The report includes a special supplement looking at how the granularity of poverty estimates can be enhanced by integrating household surveys and censuses with data extracted from satellite imagery. The report identifies practical considerations and technical requirements for this novel approach to mapping the spatial distribution of poverty, while outlining the investments required by national statistics offices to fully capitalise on the benefits of incorporating innovative data sources into conventional work programs.

The Key Indicators 2020 also presents updates on SDG indicators in Asia and the Pacific; regional trends and tables, including indicators across eight themes; people; economy and output; money, finance, and prices; globalisation; transport and communications; energy and electricity; environment; and government and governance; new analysis on trends in changes in developing Asia’s global competitiveness in supplying various products, and updated data on global value chains; and updated individual country tables for the 49 regional members of ADB.

The Key Indicators Database, first launched in September 2019, offers access to more than 1,100 statistical indicators from the year 2000 onwards in a user-friendly and accessible interface.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members, 49 from the region.

Pandemic, essential health services to predominate discussions as health ministers of WHO South-East Asia Region meet this week

 Participating in the 73rd Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia on September 9 to September 10, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, health ministers from member countries of the WHO South East Asia Region will discuss measures to curtail the outbreak, ways to maintain essential health services and transition to the ‘new normal’.

Hosted by Thailand, the 73rd Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia, the annual governing body meeting of WHO in the Region, is being held virtually for the first time ever in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom, regional director for WHO South-East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, health ministers and senior health officials of the 11 member countries of the Region, UN agencies, partners, donors and civil society representatives would be among those attending the two-day session.

The pandemic has severely strained health systems across the Region. As part of the Covid-19 response, WHO has been advocating for maintaining essential health services and accelerating resumption of disrupted health-care services. This will be discussed at a Ministerial Round Table with member countries sharing experiences and lessons learnt.

The mid-term review of progress, challenges, capacities and opportunities for the decade of health workforce strengthening 2015-2024; and annual report on monitoring progress on universal health coverage and health related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are among the agenda of the session.

The 73rd Regional Committee Session will also take note of the progress in implementation of some of the previous resolutions adopted by the Regional Committee such as promoting physical activity, the regional action plan to reduce harmful use of alcohol, access to medicines, dengue control and malaria elimination and measles and rubella elimination.

Home to one-fourth of the world’s population, the region has eight flagship priority programmes – eliminate measles and rubella by 2023; prevent and control noncommunicable diseases through multisectoral policies and plans, with a focus on ‘best buys’; accelerate reduction of maternal, neonatal and under five mortality; continue progressing towards universal health coverage with a focus on human resources for health and essential medicines; further strengthen national capacity for preventing and combating antimicrobial resistance; scale-up capacity development in emergency risk management in countries; finish the task of eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and other diseases on the verge of elimination; accelerate efforts to end TB by 2030.

The region has been making remarkable progress around the flagships and beyond.  During the Session, some countries will be felicitated for the recent public health achievements.