FOREWORD

RENAUD MEYER UNDP Country Director

VALERIE JULLIAND UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative

The 2017 elections have opened a new period of stability in Nepal, allowing the country to focus on its development aims. Over this past year, concrete steps were taken towards federalization. This new system has the potential to foster inclusion and reduce inequalities in some of the most disadvantaged areas in Nepal, in effect, giving a voice to the underrepresented. With UNDPʼs assistance, mechanisms were put in place to increase civil society participation, electoral institutions became stronger, and service delivery and access to justice provided more equal results for Nepalʼs citizens.

As Nepal finds its footing with federalization, it is leading the world in its implementation of Sustainable Development Goals programming. As one of the first nations to submit its SDG baselines to the international community, Nepal leads the pack with innovative SDG thinking. In 2018, with UNDPʼs assistance, the SDG Localization Platform was established bringing together the government and all stakeholders in a unified Agenda 2030 mission. While SDG localization is underway, the Government of Nepal is mapping out its funding needs with costing and financing projections. Creating a conducive environment for domestic and international investment will further strengthen the bedrock of Nepalʼs development goals, which UNDP will provide technical support as needed. With the newly-launched SDG Accelerator Labs worldwide, UNDP can offer Nepal expertise it can draw upon to push its agenda further and faster.

Private sector participation is vital in achieving the SDGs, and in Nepal some big names have taken big steps towards these Goals. As seen with the Chaudhary Group and Yeti Airlines, when companies transform their models of business in the name of sustainable development, everyone wins. Implementing an SDG strategy in the corporate world is not only good for social responsibility, but itʼs good for the bottom line. Nepalʼs public and private institutions must be commended for their leadership and innovation in creating integrated pathways for achieving the development goals.

Also in 2018, UNDP wrapped up its flagship poverty reduction programme known as MEDEP. Funded by the Government of Australia, MEDEP became the go-to entrepreneurial programme that, in the end, provided 140,000 people access to economic opportunities. Due to the positive results of MEDEP, the Government has launched its own version fully integrating this successful programme into its strategy of building resilience amongst some of the most disadvantaged groups like women and minorities.

Pushing Nepal towards a resilient nation also requires taking action to reduce disaster risks. In 2018, with help from UNDP, Nepal developed its national policy and strategic plan for disaster risk reduction, which lays the groundwork for the future development of DRR instruments and mechanisms. This is a significant investment from Nepalʼs Government towards institutionalizing DRR to better protect people and property, which is in line with the Sendai Framework for DRR. Furthermore, in 2018, UNDP helped the Government to expedite the earthquake reconstruction, ensuring all new buildings meet building codes to better withstand future shocks.

Lastly, State-structure reform in Nepal runs concurrently with the global reform of the United Nations, which includes changes within UNDP. The corporate changes brought about by this reform provide an opportunity to rethink UNDPʼs structure while remaining a reliable go-to partner in development and poverty reduction. In Nepal, UNDP has been successful in raising development funding from non-traditional donors, such as the recent partnerships with China, India, Qatar and Thailand, from which UNDP was able to provide post-disaster recovery programming in hard-hit areas.

We look forward to 2019 and into 2020 as Nepal realizes its SDG funding structure, opens pathways for investment to build the economy, address challenges of climate change, and take significant steps towards eradicating extreme poverty and inequality. The nation has a young population that is one of Nepalʼs most valuable resources. It is from this group that innovative solutions to development problems will come. It is UNDPʼs privilege to work alongside Nepal towards Agenda 2030.

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH

Poverty in Nepal has seen a steady decrease over the last 20 years from around 42 percent of people living below the poverty line in 1995 to 21.6 percent in 2015. However, bigger challenges remain in uplifting the remaining one fifth of the Nepali population out of poverty and reducing inequalities. As part of its commitment to the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, Nepal aims to reduce the poverty rate to 4.9 percent by 2030. As a trusted partner, UNDP continues to provide the Government of Nepal with much-needed technical and financial support aimed at promoting an equitable, inclusive and sustainable development.

China Aid helps Nepali flood-affected community recover

In August 2017, Bimala Devi Khang of Sakarpura, Saptari was home with her family when the rains began. Nothing to worry about at first, Khang began to panic when the water began to pool at her feet in her small thatched-roof hut. Everyone in her village also began to panic.

“People were screaming and crying for help,” she says. “Those who had concrete houses climbed to the top of their roofs, but my husband and kids and I just huddled together on our bed. There was water everywhere.”

And the water kept coming. After a few hours, rescue arrived. The armed police swept up Khang, her husband, and three children into their boat and took them all to higher ground. “We wouldn’t have survived if not for the security personnel,” she says.

When she returned a month later, the devastation hit home. Her family had lost almost everything. Everything in her two-room house was gone: food, clothing and the two goats she kept were all swept away. All that remained were the walls of her two-room house and a damaged water pump.

It wasn’t until January 2018 that her hope began to surface. She had heard that the Government of the People’s Republic of China and UNDP were providing support for flood-affected families in the Terai. Shortly after, a young man came to her door, took her details, snapped a photo for identification and left behind a card, telling Khang to keep it safe.t was to help her get back on her feet.

Not long after, Khang traded in that card for a relief package. Funded by China Aid, the packages contained a range of non-food items—including bed nets, blankets, shawls, cooking utensils, a water filter, a smokeless cooking stove and hygiene kits, among other essentials. Upon receiving the boxes containing these materials from the distribution centre where she had gone with her card, Khang’s face broke into a smile.

This was the first time in months that she and her family had had reason to be optimistic. It had been a hard winter after the August 2017 floods—not just because of what they lost, but also the psychological shock the incident had caused. “What little we had to begin with was all gone or rendered unusable,” she says. “I had no idea how we could possibly manage.”

The package received as part of the post-flood recovery assistance she says, has served to allay her suffering a great deal. “These are all things we use on a daily basis, and having them has created a sense of normalcy where before there was only panic,” Khang says. “More than the objects themselves, it’s that feeling of starting to put our lives back together that we’re most grateful for”. The US$4 million recovery programme implemented in late 2017 and early 2018 benefitted around 36,000 flood affected people like Khang in the Tarai.

Upon receiving the boxes containing from the centre, Khang’s face broke into a smile.

MESSAGE FROM CHINA'S AMBASSADOR

HOU YANQI China's Ambassador to Nepal

“China is committed to building an environment of mutual trust and common development in consolidating ties with neighbouring countries including Nepal for the shared future of region. In August 2017, the Chinese Government provided US$1 million grant assistance to the Government of Nepal for flood disaster relief. In 2017, we offered another US$4 million to help the Nepali people in the flood affected Terai region recover from the disaster.

We are glad to work together with UNDP to provide this recovery package, which includes some basics that are certain to prove handy in a post-flood situation. The assistance provided under the framework of the Chinese South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, reached 36,000 households in Sunsari, Saptari, Sarlahi, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Rautahat and Parsa districts of Provinces 1 and 2. As a neighbour, we are always ready to provide support in the hours of need.”

Fostering Democratic Governance and Rule of Law

As Nepal initiates implementing the new federal Constitution with newly elected leadership at all levels of the government, one of the key priorities of UNDP is to strengthen the democratic institutions for rule of law, social justice and human rights so that vulnerable people enjoy the full benefits of peace, development and inclusive growth. In 2018, UNDP continued to work alongside the government and civil society supporting the federalization process, broadening civic space for participation and voice, strengthening electoral institutions and enhancing service delivery and rule of law, particularly for the most vulnerable.

MESSAGE FROM INDIA'S AMBASSADOR

MANJEEV SINGH PURI India's Ambassador to Nepal

When the first earthquake struck in 2015, we from India responded immediately, right from rescue and relief. And when the reconstruction work began, we thought it was absolutely important that reconstruction needed to not only bring back things to where they were, but to be better, be earthquake resilient and to ensure that dignity and quality of life of people was improved.

To this end, the Government of India announced a package of US$1 billion of which 250 million was aid and 750 million was aline of credit. I am particularly happy that in 2018, we have moved significantly forward in the housing sector. For the housing sector about US$150 million was earmarked of which US$100 million was a grant from the Government of India and 50 million was part of the line of credit for supporting 50,000 households in Gorkha and Nuwakot. We are very happy to have worked very closely with the Government of Nepal, the National Reconstruction Authority and the United Nations - UNDP and UNOPS. They have been our partners in getting this support to the affected households.

Much progress has been made and we have disbursed the tranche of about NRs 200 crore (US$20 million) to the Government of Nepal, while the next tranches will be disbursed soon. So I am happy to see that this project is progressing well on the ground and people are benefitting. And though, it’s been a little while, there has been substantial success in bringing people’s lives back on track, and affording them a better dignity of life.

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

With the tremendous success of women’s participation (and victories) in the 2017 elections, Nepal took a major step towards equality and social inclusion nationwide. Since this was a new role for the newly-elected representatives, UNDP focused on building capacities of elected representatives, particularly women and marginalized groups from federal, provincial and local governments.

As a joint effort of UN Gender Theme Group, and International Development Partners - GESI Working Group, a resource book and manual on social inclusion and equity planning, the roles and responsibilities of local elected officials in Nepal’s federalization was developed. The resource book, which aims to help further strengthen local governance in regards to gender equality and social inclusion, was rolled out in 50 local government units in the first phase. At least 25 local representatives were trained on the social inclusion and equity planning process. In partnership with UN Women, UNDP oriented provincial parliament members and local government representatives in Karnali and Province 5 on gender-responsive budgeting and planning. UNDP provided technical support to make the Technical Vocational Education and Training policies and strategies responsive to “gender equality and social inclusion” in Province 5 and Sudurpaschim.

With increased representation of women in the decision-making positions and decreased gender gap in labour force participation, Nepal was ranked 105th, the third best performer in South Asia, on the 2018 Global Gender Gap Index (105), climbing five positions up from the 2015 ranking (110). Important milestones were achieved in formulating and enacting laws, including the civil and criminal codes and those relating to the fundamental rights.

Download UNDP Nepal Annual Report 2018 In English

Download UNDP Nepal Annual Report 2018 In Nepali