Nepal
Development of the civil registration and vital statistics system in Nepal: making progress with civil registration, but lacking with vital statistics
Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems serve numerous legislative and administrative functions and the resultant statistics provide valuable evidence for policy and monitoring purposes. Nepal has made progress in improving the civil registration component of the CRVS system while the vital statistics component remains underdeveloped. The present article provides a review of progress in improving the CRVS system in Nepal with reference to global and regional contexts emphasizing the statistical importance of CRVS systems identifying possible causes for deficient vital statistics and recommending solutions for obtaining high-quality vital statistics from a CRVS system in an efficient and sustainable way.
Identification and prioritization of barriers to access international climate finance for Nepal
This study covers perceived and prioritized barriers to access climate funds using Nepal as a case for least developed countries. A comprehensive picture of the climate finance flow in Nepal is presented and barriers to access international climate finance are identified. These barriers are prioritized based on their importance and potentials to be removed. Out of the 63 identified barriers most prominent ones are inadequate ministerial coordination limited evidence-based research and limited understanding of public–private partnerships. Despite some successes in accessing climate finance key challenges remain. Among them are low disbursement inadequate information-base and limited choice of financial instruments.
Making markets work for home-based workers in Nepal
Home-based workers (HBWs) are vital to Nepal’s economy comprising about one-third of its non-agricultural labour force. The contributions they make to the country’s economy cannot be discounted because they are in the informal sector. By producing products that are mostly exported they contribute directly to GDP and to the preservation of cultural heritage.
No. 51208. International Development Association and Nepal
Financing Agreement (Bridges Improvement and Maintenance Program) between Nepal and the International Development Association (with schedules appendix and International Development Association General Conditions for Credits and Grants dated 31 July 2010). Kathmandu 13 July 2012
No. 51226. United States of America and Nepal
Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and His Majesty’s Government of Nepal Regarding the Surrender of Persons to the International Criminal Court. Kathmandu 31 December 2002
Bringing Education to the Most Marginalized Girls in Nepal
This research brief provides a snapshot of Girls’ Access To Education (GATE) a non-formal education programme that aims to bring the most marginalized adolescent girls in Nepal into school. The nine-month programme provides out-of-school girls with the basic literacy numeracy and life skills they need to enter and learn in formal schooling. The analysis draws on GATE monitoring data for 2018/19 covering 7394 GATE beneficiaries in five districts of Nepal and is combined with qualitative evidence including case studies and focus group discussions with former GATE participants conducted in 2019. The mixed-methods analysis finds that the GATE programme has been highly effective with 95% completion of the programme by enrolled girls and 89% of girls making the successful transition to formal school. Moreover GATE graduates enrolled in Grades 3 to 5 in formal schools outperformed non-GATE girls enrolled in the same grades even though GATE girls overwhelmingly had no prior formal school experience. Qualitative evidence reveals that poverty caring responsibilities and parents’ traditional views may be important factors in explaining why GATE girls had never previously attended school. Despite this GATE beneficiaries who were interviewed maintain a positive outlook on the future and have clear career goals. One of the recommendations stemming from this brief is to explore the feasibility of expanding GATE approaches to target out-of-school children in other contexts as GATE has been a cost-effective solution in the context of Nepal.
No. 47051. International Development Association and Nepal
FINANCING AGREEMENT (PROJECT FOR AGRICULTURE COMMERCIALIZATION AND TRADE) BETWEEN NEPAL AND THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION. KATHMANDU 21 AUGUST 2009 [United Nations Treaty Series vol. 2641 I-47051.]
Preface
This paper was prepared in the context of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) work in support of least developed countries’ (LDC) participation in trade. It aims to contribute to the discussion on market access for services and services suppliers from LDCs in particular in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Services Waiver Decision adopted on 17 December 2011 (hereinafter “the Waiver”).
Note
This publication forms part of the background research for the study titled “Effective market access for least developed countries’ services exports; An analysis of the World Trade Organization services waiver for least developed countries” (UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/2019/1). The research was originally undertaken in 2017 and has been released for publication to help policymakers understand some of the intricacies behind the original study. Some details may have since changed.
Concluding observations
Nepal a landlocked country with weak infrastructure is on the path of development with fast growing services industries; some — especially in the IT/BPO sector — are with an impressive level of sophistication. Traditional services such as tourism are primarily focused on attracting tourist arrivals from neighbouring countries while other services including IT/BPO and animation services are reaching out to a remote clientele in Europe and the United States. The task is thus to create an enabling environment for the services economy to flourish reform the regulatory framework in support of the services economy and develop Nepal’s human capital.
Acknowledgements
This pilot case study for Nepal was prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat with co-financing from Sweden for which UNCTAD is thankful.
Introduction: LDC services exports, the WTO services waiver for LDCs and preferences notified by members
This paper focuses on Nepal as an LDC and a services exporter. It does so embedded in the immediate context of the overall question of LDC services exports their promotion and the operationalisation of the WTO’s LDC Services Waiver. It thus serves as a case study — one of an initial set of four — and should be read in conjunction with the overview paper “Effective Market Access for LDC Services Exports — An Analysis of the WTO Services Waiver for LDCs” which considers cross-cutting observations and conclusions.