MDGs: Progress & Challenges in Bhutan Kunzang Norbu Planning Commission

Millennium Development Goals Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Achieve universal primary education Promote gender equality and empower women Reduce child mortality Improve maternal health Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria & other diseases Ensure environmental sustainability Develop a global partnership for development

Goal 1 (a): Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger/Malnutrition TARGET Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day Indicators 1990 2000 2003 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Proportion of population living below national poverty line (%) - 36.3% 31.7% 20% On track Strong The Human Poverty Index (HPI-1) 33.34 33 Insufficient data Source: Pilot HIES 2000, PAR 2004

Goal 1 (a): Challenges Pro-poor growth sectors like agriculture need to grow more rapidly and gain increased productivity Balanced regional development equitable access to social services, infrastructure and market opportunities Weakness in poverty data collection, monitoring and evaluation

Goal 1(b): Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger TARGET Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger Indicators 1990 2000 2003 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Percentage of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption (2,124 Kcal) - 3.8% 1.9% Insufficient data Strong Percentage of under-weight under-five children 38 (1989) 19% Achieved Good Percentage of under height under-five children 56% 40% 28% On track Source: PAR 2004, BLSS 2003

Goal 1 (b): Challenges Achieving Food Security in the light of significant agriculture constraints Factors of low productivity, limited arable land and small land holdings Nutrition of women and children – pregnant women and anemia. Poor nutritional practices

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education TARGET Ensure that by 2015, children everywhere , boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling Indicators 1990 2000 2004 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Gross Primary Enrollment Rate 55% 72% 84% 100% On track Strong Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 73% 91% 94% Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 7 35% 81% 86% Source: General Statistics, MoE, RGoB

Goal 2: Challenges Enhancing outreach of primary education to children in rural and remote communities Disparities in educational enrollments and attainment between urban and rural areas Retention of children and reducing early school drop outs

Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women TARGET Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005 and to all levels of education no later than 2015 Indicators 1990 2000 2004 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Ratio of girls to boys in primary schools (%) 69 (1991) 82 95 100 On track Strong Ratio of girls to boys in secondary schools (%) 43 78 96 Ratio of females to males in tertiary institutes (%) 12 41 53 Needs attention Good Source: General Statistics, Ministry of Education, 2004, 2000, 1991

Goal 3: Challenges Ensuring higher levels of female enrollment in tertiary education levels including vocational training Raising the Low levels of female adult literacy which have been assessed at half of men Promoting women’s fuller engagement in the economic and political life

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality TARGET Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate Indicators 1990 2000 2004 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Under-Five mortality Rate (per 1,000 live births) 123 84 - 41 On track Strong Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000 live births) 90 60.5 30 Proportion of Children covered under immunization programme 84% 85% 90% (with card) >95% Source: NHS, 1990, 1994, 2000, Bhutan National EPI Coverage Evaluation Survey 2002.

Goal 4: Challenges Improving access, utilization and quality of child health care services in rural communities

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health TARGET Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio Indicators 1990 2000 2003 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Maternal mortality rate (per 100,000 live births) 560 255 - 140 On track Strong Delivery by skilled health personnel (%) 15% 24% 32% 100% Needs attention Good Source: NHS, 1990, 1994, 2000 Annual Health Bulletins 2003

Goal 5: Challenges Shortage of human resources and lack of obstetric equipment & facilities Dispersed & isolated nature of settlements Cultural and awareness barriers that inhibit utilization of maternal health services

Goal 6(a): Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases TARGET Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS Indicators 1990 2000 2004 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment HIV cases detected 38 72 (Feb 2005) - Insufficient data Strong Contraception Prevalence Rate 18.8% (1994) 30.7% 60% (national target) Unlikely Good Source: NHS, 1990, 1994, 2000 Annual Health Bulletins 2003

Goal 6 (a): Challenges Lacking a national policy framework on HIV/AIDS Low condom usage Shortage of trained and qualified personnel in the treatment and care of HIV/AIDS

Goal 6(b): Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases TARGET : Halt and begin to reverse the spread of Malaria and Other Major Diseases Indicators 1990 2000 2004 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment No of malaria cases [cases per 100,000] 22,126 (1991) [3,687 per 100,000] 5,935 2,760 [366 per 100,000] - Potentially Strong Tuberculosis incidence [ cases per 100,000] 720 168 133 Source: NHS, 1990, 1994, 2000 Annual Health Bulletins 2003

Goal 6 (b): Challenges Malaria- Control of border malaria Dengue and JE outbreak risks Inaccessibility of large tracts of mosquito breeding grounds due to dense vegetation and forests

Goal 6 (b): Challenges Tuberculosis- To reduce TB related diseases Low case detection rate Lack and shortage of human other resources

Goal 7 (a): Ensure Environmental Sustainability TARGET Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources Indicators 1990 2000 2003 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Proportion of land area covered by forest 72.5% - On track Strong Ratio of protected area to surface area for maintaining biological diversity 23% 26% 29% CO2 (per capita) Emissions - 5.89 tons (1994) Proportion of population using solid fuels(i.e.wood, charcoal, dung ) 75% 70% Insufficient data Source: State of the Environment 2001,

Goal 7 (a): Challenges Land degradation Biodiversity Loss Urban environmental degradation

Goal 7(b): Ensure Environmental Sustainability TARGET Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation Indicators 1990 2000 2003 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Proportion of Population without sustainable access to an improved water source 55% 22% 16% 27.5% Achieved Strong Proportion of Population without access to improved sanitation 33% 12% 7.4% (of HHs) 17.5% Source: BLSS 2003, PAR 2004, CSO Statistical Yearbooks

Goal 7(b):Challenges Coverage and quality levels for water and sanitation in rural areas Distance from water source To adapt alternative

Goal 8 (a): Develop a Global Partnership for Development TARGET In cooperation with developing countries, develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth Indicators 1990 2000 2004 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Unemployment rate (15-24) - 1.4% (1998) 2.5% Insufficient data Strong Source: NLFS, 1998, 2004

Goal 8 (b): Develop a Global Partnership for Development TARGET In cooperation with the private sector make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communication technology Indicators 1990 2000 2004 2015 Status of Progress State of Supportive Environment Fixed Telephone Lines in Service 4,052 16,580 30,420 - On track Strong Telephone density (per 100 persons) 0.68 2.4 4 Computers in use ( per 100 persons) 0.58 (2001) 1.0 Internet users 0.43 Source: National Statistical Bureau, 1990,2000,2003, ICT Annual Report 2004-2005, ICT Survey 2001

Goal 8 (b): Challenges Financial sustainability of Rural Telecom services Appropriate technology that is cost effective Shortage of skilled human resources in ICT

Concluding Remarks Meeting the MDGs will be challenging but potentially achievable. In 2006/2007, Planning Commission coordinated MDG Needs Assessment exercise involving all stakeholders with UNDP and RCC’s technical guidance and support The Needs Assessment Report is being finalized There is opportunity to mainstream the MDG concerns into the 10th Plan Thank You.