MEDEP Phase II significantly refined its definition of MEDEP beneficiaries, stressing that the programme should go beyond merely serving the poor, targeting a significant percentage of its beneficiaries as “ultra poor”, and socially excluded. A minimum of 30% of MEDEP beneficiaries should be members of socially-excluded castes (Dalits), indigenous nationalities (Indigenous Nationalities), or ultra poor of any caste of ethnic origin. This change is part of a major initiative of UNDP, its donor partners, and the government to assist categories of persons well below the poverty line who have long been bypassed by development programming. Additionally, MEDEP maintains its target of having 70% of its entrepreneurs be women.