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Due to resource constraints, IRIN is not updating the country profile below.
Updated humanitarian country information can be found instead at the Nepal country page on ReliefWeb [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc104?OpenForm&rc=3&cc=npl].
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 NEPAL
Humanitarian Country Profile |
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Background
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Last update: April 2008 |
The landlocked Himalayan nation of 28 million people has been plagued by political instability since its first experiment with multi-party democracy in the 1950s. More recently a civil war (1996-2006), pitting Maoist rebels against government forces, led to some 13,000 deaths, 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and wreaked havoc on the economy.
The king was removed from power in May 2006 after an uprising led by an alliance of the seven main national parties and the Maoists in April 2006. The democratic government formed in the same month began a peace process with the Maoists to end the decade-long armed conflict and a disarmament process was instituted.
After twice being postponed amid political instability and the threat of widespread violence in the Terai region of southern Nepal, Constituent Assembly elections were finally held on 10 April 2008, leading to a victory for the Maoists, led by Prachanda.
The UN Development Programme’s Human Development Index for 2007-08 ranks Nepal 142nd out of 177 countries. The same report says Nepal accounts for 0.0 percent of global CO2 emissions - an average of 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person.
Peace and security
Despite the peace process and recent generally peaceful elections, political tensions are not far below the surface: Nepal’s densely populated lowland Terai region, which is also the country’s agricultural and industrial heartland (and lies along the border with India), saw extensive political turmoil in 2007 and early 2008, including strikes and violence.
The Terai is dominated by the country’s largest ethnic group, the Madhesi, which make up nearly half the population and in recent years have begun to flex their political muscles. Led by pro-Madhesi groups such as the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) and Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), Madhesi political leaders have been demanding greater autonomy and more political rights. Anti-government protests in 2007 led to the deaths of many innocent civilians, including women and children.
Strife in the region impeded access for humanitarian agencies.
There have also been reports of extortion and intimidation by the Maoist youth wing, the Youth Communist League (YCL), and in the immediate aftermath of the elections there were reports of Maoists using violence against political opponents.
IDPs/Refugees
The 1996-2006 armed conflict created over 200,000 IDPs. Despite the peace process, many have still not returned to their homes, fearing further reprisals. Analysts say the failure of IDPs to return is mainly because the Maoists have not promised to guarantee people’s safety and refuse to return seized property. Most have lost their original livelihoods in farming or animal husbandry and do not want to return to their empty homes. The problem has been compounded by weak governments, unable to effectively support reintegration and rehabilitation.
Some 35,000-50,000 people are still displaced in various cities and towns, despite the end of the 1996-2006 armed conflict, according to estimates by agencies dealing with IDPs.
Some IDPs have ended up in the larger towns and cities, where they live in impoverished conditions and are often exploited.
IDPs say it is not so much security which is the main obstacle to their return but the government’s refusal to recognise most of them as IDPs: “The main problem now is that the government has stopped registering any displaced persons and this is a matter of serious concern,” said Pushpa Pandey, IDP protection coordinator of the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), a local human rights non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Some 107,000 refugees of Nepali origin from Bhutan (known as `Lhotsampas’) have been living in several camps in eastern Nepal since the early 1990s. They say they were forced to leave Bhutan after a 1985 law there stripped them of their citizenship. The Bhutanese government disputes this.
These poverty-stricken and unemployed refugees are being helped by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and World Food Programme (WFP). Some 10,000 of them are scheduled to be resettled in several Western countries by the end of 2008. Others are hoping to be able to return to Bhutan, but no agreement has yet been reached between Bhutan and Nepal on this, despite protracted negotiations.
A fire at Goldhap camp in eastern Nepal on 2 March 2008 severely affected about 8,000 of the refugees after about 90 percent of the 1,512 homes at the camp were burnt down.
Democracy and governance
A multiparty democracy was restored in May 2006 with the end of direct rule by the Nepalese monarch, King Gyanendra, following a mass uprising in April. The movement was led by an alliance of seven national parties and the Maoists. In January 2007, an interim parliament of 330 members representing all eight parties, including the Maoists, was formed, and an interim constitution framed.
The 10 April 2008 elections were won by the Maoists, but it remains to be seen whether they can bring about reconciliation to overcome the many ethnic, caste and regional divisions in society and form a unified and effective coalition government.
Media
Nepal has a vibrant media with privately owned newspapers and radio stations playing an increasingly important role. TV, a relatively new phenomenon in Nepal, has had a powerful impact, and the number of private channels has mushroomed in recent years.
The media has helped exert pressure on the government and the former Maoist rebels to prevent human rights violations. But journalists experienced considerable difficulties, especially during the decade-long armed conflict, when many were at risk of injury and death - at the hands of either the former Maoist rebels or government security forces.
The recent Madhesi uprising in the Terai also presented a challenge for the media as journalists were attacked and threatened by protesters. The government failed to protect journalists and many quit their jobs after receiving death threats.
Journalists’ safety continues to be advocated by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), a national media watchdog.
There are more than 2,000 newspapers, 60 radio stations and 10 TV stations - all privately run. The two state-owned newspapers, one radio and one TV station are pro-government.
Economy
Nepal is considered to be one of the world's poorest countries with about 31 percent of the population living on less than US$1 a day. The decade-long armed conflict crippled the economy. In addition to over-spending on security and armed forces, the constant blockades, strikes and curfews over the past 10 years have hampered economic activity.
The agriculture sector is the main contributor to economic growth but was severely affected by political unrest.
The industrial base is constrained by inadequate infrastructure, a limited domestic market and expensive transport. Former Maoist rebels destroyed much of the infrastructure. Industries closed, aggravated by the poor investment climate.
The important tourism sector was also adversely affected.
One positive aspect, however, was the growth in foreign remittances, contributing nearly $2 billion to the economy in 2006.
Global financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank are concerned about the effective management of the budget and public spending.
There are indications that the new government may create incentives for people to move out of agriculture “because the land can’t support the population”. (see IRIN report Spectre of violence remains after Maoist victory)
Population
Nepal has an estimated population of 28.2 million (UN, 2007) - one of the world's highest ratios of population to arable land, according to the World Bank. Population growth has led to fragmented land holdings and depletion of the forests. Infant and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world.
Nepal has some 100 different ethnic groups speaking over 90 different languages. The official language is Nepali, but there are a number of other important languages - Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang, Newari, Magar, Awadhi, Bantawa, Limbu and Bajjika. Hindi is also spoken, mostly in the southern Terai region.
The largest ethnic group, the Madhesi, which consists of a number of sub-groups, makes up roughly half the country’s population, and is beginning to wield its political muscle as a unified force.
The plight of some small marginalised ethnic groups is dire.
The dominant religion is Hinduism followed by Buddhism. About 4.2 percent of population are Muslims, with the rest Christians.
Development indicators
Nepal is one of world's poorest countries with an annual per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of $1,550, according to the 2007-2008 UN Human Development Report; 31 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the Nepal Living Standards Survey (NLSS). Among the worst-affected are the Dalits (untouchables), indigenous communities (known as `janjatis’) and Muslims.
Life expectancy at birth, according to the UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI) for 2007-08, is 62.6 years, one of the lowest in Asia. According to the UN's Human Development Report, the infant mortality rate is 60 per 1,000 live births; under-five mortality is 82 per 1,000 births and maternal mortality is 740 per 100,000 births. The gender disparity is wide: only 26 percent of Nepalese women are literate compared with 62 percent of men. The overall adult literacy rate is 48.6 percent (HDI).
Despite slow improvements in various sectors including education, health and other social services, Nepal still has one of the worst records of development in the world, mainly because of the unequal distribution of resources. The disparities are reflected in gender, caste, ethnicity and geography. A large section of the population remains outside mainstream development.
Nepal is far from achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), according to the new UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) report, Analytical Study of Basic Social Services - Nepal.
Education
Nepal has an adult literacy rate of 48.6 percent. School enrolment is improving, with the combined, primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ration at 58.1 percent (HDI, 2007-08). Only 10 percent of students complete secondary school.
Education was one of the hardest-hit sectors during the armed conflict when schools were used as Maoist training grounds and barracks by the state security force. Although this has now stopped, there were obstacles to regular school routines due to frequent political strikes and the use of children for political demonstrations, especially by Maoists in the rural areas.
Education has been severely affected by violence in the Terai. Nepal's MDG to achieve universal primary education is unlikely to be met.
Children
Nearly 50,000 children die every year from curable diseases, with malnutrition alone contributing about 60 percent of the deaths, according to UNICEF. More than 20,000 children under five die every year from diarrhoea-related diseases and nearly one million children suffer from acute respiratory infections. The percentage of underweight children aged 0-5 is 48 (HDI, 2007-08). Three-quarters of pregnant women are anaemic.
Children also continue to be trafficked across the open Nepal-India border for commercial sex work and sold to Indian brothels.
In addition, poverty in the villages has led to migration of children to the cities, where they end up on the streets, homeless and exploited. According to Child Workers in Nepal, an NGO, there are an estimated 5,000 street children in the cities of Kathmandu, Pokhara, Dharan, Narayanghat, Butwal and Biratnagar. In Kathmandu alone, about 500 children are living on the streets where their health is poor and they can be sexually exploited. There is also evidence of foreign tourists sexually exploiting children.
Over two million children are engaged as labourers in various factories, hotels, restaurants, domestic households and construction sites. Nearly 55,000 children are employed as domestic workers.
There is also the issue of child soldiers. Despite the current peace process, the Maoists have yet to release all child soldiers, according to local human rights groups.
Other serious issues concerning children include child marriage, which persists in many parts of the country.
The education status of children is also dismal. According to Save the Children (UK), about 20 percent of all primary-school aged children do not attend school. Only 48 percent of girls are in primary school. The quality of education is low in many primary schools where only 30 percent of teachers are trained. About 30 percent of students repeat the same class. Nearly 61 percent of grade one students do not pass the year.
Health
Nepal still has a poor health delivery system. Maternal mortality is a huge problem, with nearly 6,000 women dying every year from pregnancy-related complications due to lack of skilled birth attendants and emergency obstetric centres. The problem is much worse in mountainous areas.
There are increasing problems of re-emerging diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, malaria, kala-azar, as well as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. There is a need to scale up health services, personnel and government investment in rural health programmes. There is a huge disparity between rural and urban areas. According to the Ministry of Health, the situation is grave in the hill and mountain areas. High illiteracy rates, especially among women, limited human resource capacity and poor human resource management are some of the reasons for the lack of effective health service delivery, according to the ministry.
There are only 1,200 doctors in the country, with one doctor per 10,000 people.
Government spending on health has been increasing in recent years. Hospitals have been built, immunisation programmes have been expanded and there is a national polio campaign. But spending on nutrition, and combating respiratory diseases, HIV/AIDS, malaria and kala-azar remained modest, according to UNICEF.
About 90,000 people in Nepal reportedly have one form of TB or another, and the number is increasing by about 40,000 every year, according to the government's National Tuberculosis Centre (NTC).
TB kills 5,000-7,000 people every year, with most fatalities among those with drug-resistant TB, which can develop when patients fail to adhere to their treatment regimen, according to the NTC.
Nepal has poor sanitation systems (see full IRIN report), with only 46 percent of its people having access to basic sanitation, according to the Nepalese government. Over 14 million Nepalese - mainly in rural areas - do not have access to latrines, the government says. Ten percent of the population do not have access to an improved water source (HDI, 2007-08).
Over 13,000 children under five die from diarrhoea-related diseases caused by poor hygiene and sanitation as well as unsafe drinking water, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Over 80 percent of diseases (including diarrhoea, cholera, intestinal worms, trachoma, typhoid) among adults and children are caused by lack of basic sanitation, according to a new government report entitled Nepal Country Plan for International Year of Sanitation 2008.
HIV/AIDS
According to the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Nepal has an estimated 62,000 people living with the virus. There are serious concerns that HIV/AIDS could be the leading cause of death by 2010 if the current rate of infection continues to increase.
UNAIDS reported that HIV/AIDS is rapidly spreading in the 15-39 age group. Without effective treatment programmes, 10,000-15,000 Nepalese might die annually.
Studies have shown that among the highest-risk groups are sex workers and their clients, migrant male workers and their wives, and injecting drug users (IDUs). It is estimated there are about 30,000 drug users, of whom 40 percent are said to be HIV-positive. According to a Family Health International (FHI) study, conducted by New Era and STD/AIDS Counselling and Training Service (SACTS), the figures are alarming, especially in Kathmandu where nearly 68 percent of IDUs tested HIV-positive.
Commercial sex workers (CSWs) are even more at risk. According to government data, there are about 60,000 CSWs in the country, of whom 604 are positive, while 2,963 are HIV-positive. According to Women Acting Together for Change (WATCH), there are an estimated 150,000-200,000 Nepali CSWs in Indian brothels and 70 percent of CSWs who returned to Nepal were HIV-positive.
But activists complained that despite the serious threat of an HIV/AIDS epidemic, the government has failed to act. It has been criticised in particular for neglecting the care and treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Food security
Nepal has a long history of food deficiency mostly in its far western region, the Karnali. The worst districts include Kalikot, Humla, Dolpa, Mugu and Jumla - all of which lie in the mountainous and northern hilly areas where land is infertile and roads impassable. Malnutrition is a major cause of death and the villagers have a long history of chronic food shortages and periodic famines.
In February 2008 the World Food Programme (WFP) reported that about 3.8 million people in Nepal faced food insecurity (see full IRIN report) due to a combination of sharp increases in food prices and strikes in the south.
Most food experts blame the shortages on the lack of agricultural management and investment by previous governments. The lack of effective food delivery mechanisms has resulted in poor food distribution, which has been further hindered by the absence of effective post-harvest food storage systems.
Gender issues
Gender inequality remains high in Nepal. According to the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index in 2007, Nepal ranked 111th out of 128 countries in 2006, dropping to 125th out of 128 in 2007.
Women on their own generally live in impoverished conditions due to social discrimination and lack of property rights. A large number of impoverished women migrate from their villages to Nepalese cities, and India, where they end up being exploited.
Many of the targeted gender-related programmes have failed due to a lack of effective governance. Government expenditure on women's education and health is negligible.
Human rights
Human rights have improved with the end of the armed conflict but both international and national rights groups are concerned that the former Maoist rebels are still involved in violations, with continued threats against people who refuse to pay Maoist taxes or support their party. This may change with the new government following the 10 April 2008 elections.
Human rights and aid workers continued to be threatened by both Maoists and pro-Madhesi activists in 2007.
Besides the current political turmoil in the Terai, there is a need to bring past human rights violators to book. Rights groups are concerned that the new government has failed effectively to take action against those individuals involved in serious human rights abuses.
Humanitarian needs
There is still an urgent need for humanitarian assistance especially in remote areas in the Terai and in mountainous areas suffering from food shortages. In addition, there is a continuing need for help to improve access to health care, especially for children and women.
There is a dire need to help protect and support child soldiers who are still being hidden by the Maoists in their camps, according to local human rights groups. Furthermore, attention is also needed to help the displaced, most of whom are unable to return to their homes to retrieve their property, including livestock and farms seized by the Maoists.
According to the joint Common Appeal for Transition Support by local and international aid agencies working in Nepal, there is an immediate need for at least US$60.6 million for emergency food security, malnutrition, security, children affected by armed conflict, mine action, health, IDPs, refugees, natural disasters and coordination.
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| Nepal in figures | · Population: 27 million
· Pop growth rate: 2%
· Pop. below poverty line: 31%
· Life expectancy: 60 years
· Infant mortality: 60 per 1,000
· Maternal mortality: 740 per 100,000 births
· Literacy rate: 62% (men), 26% (women)
· HIV prevalence: 0.5%
· Doctors/people: 1 doctor per 10,000
· Displaced people: 100,000-200,000
· Refugees: 106,000 (Bhutanese)
· Human development index: 0.5 (Ranking 138 out of 177 countries)
Source: UNDP |
| Basic facts | Capital: Kathmandu
Language: Nepali
Ethnic groups: Chettri, Brahmin, Magar, Tharu, Tamang, Newar, Muslim, Kami, Yadav and others (there are more than 100 ethnic groups in Nepal)
Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity
Geography:Nepal is a landlocked and mountainous country, located along the southern slopes of the Himalayan mountain range between India and China. The world's highest mountain is on Nepal's northern border. The country is divided into three geographical regions: rugged terrain and mountain, hills in the north, bordering China, and the fertile southern plains known as the Terai that lie close to India's border.
Border countries: China and India
Natural resources: Hydro power, water, lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore, quartz, forests
Agriculture products: Rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, water buffalo meat
Source: UNDP |
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