Achieving the MDGs in Lao PDR
Lao PDR has shown consistent improvement in the
UNDP Human Development Index (HDI), being ranked 141st out of
173 countries in 1993, and climbing to 122nd by 2010.
While Lao PDR has made improvements in several
areas and is on track to achieve some MDGs, there is concern about
the sustainability of MDG gains given the country's reliance on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA)..
Effective coordination both within the United Nations system and among donors in the Lao
PDR has been a key achievement of UNDP. Alignment of external aid with
the Government's five yearly MDG-based National Socio-Economic Development Plan and development priorities and capacity building for ODA management has been undertaken through the
Round Table Process. At the October 2010 high-level Round Table Meeting the Government, UN and development partners signed an MDG Compact to reaffirm their commitment to achieving the MDGs.
In addition, MDG 9, a localized MDG, was introduced to reduce the impact of unexploded ordnance (UXO). In 2010 UNDP also supported the Government to set up a UXO Trust Fund to manage and coordinate funds coming in to the UXO sector. The presence of UXO not only destroys lives but hinders the socio-economic development of the country. The correlation between poverty and UXO is clear to see with 41 out of the 46 poorest districts contaminated by UXO.
Lao PDR plans to graduate from Least Developed Country status by 2020, meaning that it needs to ensure sustained and inclusive economic growth over the coming years. To this end, the government has prioritized the MDGs in its 7th National Socio- Economic Plan and is carrying out key interventions in such areas as basic education, healthcare, inequality, agriculture and rural and infrastructure development.
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MDG progress
The latest analysis of progress towards achieving the MDGs was published in the National Millennium Development Goals Progress Report (Executive Summary, Full Report) in April 2009, launched during the visit to Vientiane by the UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon.
The 2008 progress report shows a mixed picture: while significant progress was made on a number of targets, other targets require urgent attention and investments in order for them to be met by 2015.
The reduction of income poverty; increase in primary net enrolment; reduction in child mortality; action against tuberculosis and malaria; and access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in urban areas count among the greatest achievements to date.
On the other hand, the most critical remaining challenges include lack of progress in reducing child malnutrition; persistent and strong disparities in people's access to opportunities and social services according to sex, geography and mother tongue; women's limited participation in decision-making at the sub-national level; high maternal mortality; the quick rate of loss of environmental resources. One underlying problem is the persistent under-funding of the social sectors over the past two decades.
Watch a film: Journey through the MDGs
MDG 1 Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Target No.
|
Target
|
Will the target be met? |
State of policy environment? |
1A.
|
Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than US$1 a day |
Probably
|
Strong
|
1B.
|
Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people |
Potentially
|
Fair
|
1C. |
Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger |
Unlikely
|
Fair
|
MDG 2 Achieve universal primary education
2A.
|
Ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling |
Potentially
|
Strong
|
MDG 3 Promote gender equality and empower women
3A.
|
Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education. Preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015 |
Unlikely
|
Fair
|
MDG 4 Reduce child mortality
4A.
|
Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate |
Probably
|
Fair
|
MDG 5 Improve maternal health
5A. |
Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio |
Unlikely |
Weak but Improving |
5B.
|
Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health
|
Potentially |
Weak but Improving |
MDG 6 Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases
6A.
|
Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
|
Probably
|
Strong
|
6B. |
Achieve by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it
|
Probably
|
Strong
|
6C. |
Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases
|
Probably
|
Strong
|
MDG 7 Ensure environmental sustainability
7A.
|
Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes, and reverse the loss of environmental resources |
Probably
|
Strong
|
7B.
|
Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss |
Probably
|
Strong
|
7C.
|
Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation |
Potentially
|
Fair
|
7D.
|
By 2020, achieve a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers |
Probably
|
Strong
|
MDG 8 Develop a global partnership for development
MDG 9 Reduce the impact of UXO in Lao PDR in accordance with the National Strategic Plan for the UXO sector
9A |
Ensure the complete clearance of UXO from priority / high value agricultural land by 2020 |
| 9B |
Reduce substantially the number of casualties as a result of UXO incidents |
| 9C |
Ensure that the medical and rehabilitation needs of all UXO survivors are met in line with treaty obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions |
|
| |
Useful links
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Lao PDR
Country Map 