16-03-2010
Last week, Helen Clark, Administrator of the UNDP and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, embarked on a five-day visit to India in hopes of continuing strong relations between the UNDP and the country. With stopovers in different districts in the state of Rajasthan, she observed the use of ICTs in enabling effective and prompt delivery of government services, and political reservation in empowering marginalised women.
Image: Worksite in Suwana panchayat From left to right: C.P. Joshi, Helen Clark and Manju Rajpal
10-03-2010
It is the 10th year since the development of the MDGs, leaving only five years to achieve them. 2010 marks the year of reflection and assessment. Regional Director of the UNMC, Minar Pimple, speaks on where Asia Pacific stands and where it needs to focus its efforts in the remaining years.
09-03-2010
Minar Pimple, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific on the UN Millennium Campaign, visited Samoa to discuss progress towards the MDGs. He emphasized the importance of pursuing different policies in different contexts, noting that countries need to focus on the MDGs that are most relevant to environment which will not be the same across the world.
08-03-2010
After a long history of developmental stagnation, the village of Bardarpur Khadar has finally obtained the attention of Indian policymakers. With the help of civil society organizations campaigning for their basic rights, the people of Bardarpur Khadar have demanded and received a full-fledged government supported overhaul of basic needs provision including water, electricity and schooling facilities.
Image: Stand Up Take Action - Badapur Khadar
26-02-2010
Supplemented by interviews with key stakeholders, MediaGlobal reviews the recently released UN- Asian Development Bank report on MDG progress in Asia Pacific. Taking from the report’s conclusions and stakeholder insights, MediaGlobal presents a concerning picture of the crisis effects on Asia and the Pacific.
Image: There is a growing fear that women and children (such as this mother and child in Northern Thailand) will now be at risk to extreme poverty because of the global economic crisis. (Photo credit: Creative Commons)
23-02-2010
A new UN report looks at the state of Asia Pacific in terms of progress towards the MDGs. The report suggests that progress is slow and hence, there is a need for fiscal stimulus packages for the social sector. It argues that social sector spending is the quickest way to mitigating risk because of its ability to produce a ‘double dividend’.
18-02-2010
As shown through the example of Nepal, the South Asian Development Goals (SDGs), are far from using the MDG-related policies as a guide forward. Instead of monitoring programs targeted at MDGs in Nepal that have already been in place for a few years, the SDGs seem to be starting the whole process over.
18-02-2010
Recently chosen senior advisor to the United Nations Office for Partnerships, Babu Lal Jain, speaks about achieving MDGs, with specific mention to schooling, monitoring, and ICT.
11-02-2010
Addressing the Pacific Conference on the Human face of the Global Economic Crisis on February 10, 2010 at Vanuatu, Helen Clark, Chair of the United Nations Development Group highlighted action so far and future plans in dealing with the impacts of the global financial crises on the Pacific countries. She called for strong leadership, unity and collaboration to build resilience and move on.
10-02-2010
Nepal and Malawi sit in the two regions of the world with the highest number of newborn deaths – South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. However, both countries are on their way to reducing the deaths of those under the age of 5 by 2/3 by 2015, and each of them is using a strategy that fits their individual environment.
Image: Reuters
