In 2014, Nepal made steadfast progress towards its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets. The 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) showed gains in infant mortality, now reaching 33 per 1,000 live births against a target of 36; a reduction in the prevalence of underweight among children below five years of age, now at 30.1 per cent against a target of 29 per cent; a reduction in the adolescent birth rate to 71 per 1,000 women against a target of 70; an increase in measles immunisation coverage to 92.6 per cent against a target of greater than 90 per cent; and significant improvements in the use of improved drinking water sources at 93.3 per cent against a target of 73 per cent.
UNICEF’s contribution toward these national results was instrumental in building the necessary institutional and individual capacities required for national development efforts. In 2014, this included 18 districts being declared open defecation free (ODF) with emphasis on reducing disparities in the most difficult and low-coverage districts – particularly the mountain and Terai (plain) areas, which maintain open borders with India. As part of global efforts to eradicate polio, UNICEF played a lead role in the introduction of one dose of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) at 14 weeks, which made Nepal the first Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI Alliance)-supported country in the world to introduce the vaccine. In the area of nutrition, the 15 most disadvantaged districts targeted by UNICEF achieved 100 per cent Vitamin A coverage and 80 per cent coverage of multiple-micronutrient powder.
UNICEF’s innovative after-school programme is showing positive results in terms of both
enrolment and retention rates as well as impact on harmful social norms such as child marriage.
In the Mid and Far West, 12,516 adolescents (6,312 girls; 6,204 boys) are now benefiting from the programme, which targets disadvantaged girls and provides life skills, peer-led homework support and sports activities in priority districts.
Sustained advocacy resulted in the establishment of the post of Child Protection Officer by the Government in all 75 districts nation-wide to prevent and respond to violence, exploitation and abuse of children. In addition, a landmark National Strategy to End Child Marriage in Nepal was developed, bringing together concerned stakeholders from civil society organisations (CSOs), Government, technical experts and United Nations (UN) agencies.
In a year characterised by multiple natural disasters, UNICEF provided extensive relief and response through the Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Education, Protection and Health Clusters reaching 115,000 people (42 per cent children) in line with its Core Commitments for Children. An internal lessons-learned exercise highlighted these achievements as well as the need for strengthening and harmonising national systems for information management, coordination and communications.
UNICEF forged new partnerships with Kathmandu University around its innovations agenda,
leading to the mass engagement of children and adolescents in its Child Appathon, a competition targeting young programmers. Further, the Government-led National Framework on Child-Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) saw the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local
Development (MoFALD) allocate US$ 244,000 to scale up CFLG interventions beyond the 15
UNICEF-focused districts with resources at the disposal of the Government.
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Publisher:
UNICEF
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(2014
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Type / Script:
Annual Report
in English
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Keywords:
INFANT MORTALITY, CHILD SURVIVAL, EARTHQUAKES, LANDSLIDES, FLOODS, NUTRITION, CHILD MARRAIGE, CHILDREN, EDUCATION, PROTECTION, SANITATION, NATURAL DISASTERS, INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, COORDINATION, COMMUNICATIONS, DROUGHT, HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, DISASTER RELIEF, EQUITY, HEALTH, SOCIAL POLICY, RIGHTS OF THE CHILD, DISABILITY, ADVOCACY, SOCIAL WELFARE, HUMAN RIGHTS, CONSTITUTIONS, SOCIAL SECURITY, GENDER EQUALITY, FUNDS, CAPACITY BUILDING, HUMAN RESOURCES, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
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Thematic Group:
UNICEF
:
Children Fund
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Thesaurus:
14.05.04
- Welfare And Social Services
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Reference Link:
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