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Shelly, A., The New York Times (Producer). (2013). Women in nepal are exiled each month. [Video]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgQ54CZ6uLQ

Central Bureau of Statistics and Survey Department (Cartographer). (2014). Literacy rate by sex, 2011 National population and housing census [Demographic map]. (2011). Retrieved from http://cbs.gov.np/atlas/maps.html?chapter=12&map=12.12

United Nation Statistics Division. (2015). Millennium development indicators: Country and regional snapshots [Data file]. Retrieved from http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2015/Snapshots/NPL.pdf

Education, health and empowerment for the Napalese women has been stunted for decades but with the help of other countries, private organizations and a spotlight, the country has made great strides. Education, poverty, infrastructure and a predominant Hindu culture have been contributing factors to Nepal's poverty. Also, Hindu culture has a history that recognizes a caste system. This system is known for men having advantages in all areas of life. Differences are largely seen with the Dalit or “untouchable” caste, poverty lies heavily here. 

Education

Education can be linked directly to gender inequality. As Nepal is already set back in time through the use of a caste system, educating women and those that support them, is an uphill battle. Gender inequality plays a big part in educating all of Nepal’s youth and this can be seen on the Central Bureau of Statistics Literacy Map drawn in 2014. There is a 17.7% national difference of educated males to females. Many groups like the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and USAID have worked closely with this country to close the gap of illiteracy and gender inequality. USAID has brought community awareness, training and monetary support to develop reading programs, early education opportunities and access to more facilities (USAID, 2016). In 2014, it was reported that equal girl enrollment in primary school rose 85% as seen in the Nepal MDG Country Progress Snapshot above. Since 2010, Nepal has received a grant from GPE totaling approximately $177 million toward education and has seen the primary school completion rise 23% from 2009 to 2016. This total takes into account the devastating earthquakes in 2015 (Global partnership of education, 2016). 

  • There is a direct link between poverty, amount of money directed toward health and the causal effects of both on individual health.

  • Parents that are in a poverty situation find themselves with poor nutrition, unclean water, limited resources and lower opportunities to better themselves through education.

  • Illiterate mothers in poverty are less likely to seek medical care or vaccinate their children, have limited food sources to provide their family and live in conditions that increase the chances of disease.

  • Nepal statistics:

    • -unemployment rate is 46%

    • -25.2% of the population live below the poverty line

    • -infant mortality of 39.14 deaths/1,000 live births

    • -maternal mortality rate of 258 deaths/100,000 live births (The world  fact book, 2013-2014).

  • Malnutrition has a cyclical pattern that starts with adolescent girls having babies as soon as they start menstrating. Not only are the girls growing exponentially, their body is competing with a developing fetus. These young girls will typically deliver early and have low birth weight babies. These babies have a greater chance of dying within the first year of life or having dramatic developmental problems. (Encyclopedia of world poverty, 2006).

  • In comparison, the United States, there is a 5.2 % unemployment rate, 15.1% of the population below the poverty line, infant mortality 5.87% deaths/1,000 live births and maternal mortality rate of 14 deaths/ 100,000 live births.

  • Nepal only spends 5.8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare in comparison to the US 17.1% of GDP on healthcare (The world Fact book, 2006).

Poverty, Expenditure of GDP and Health

Some of the main health systems developed in Nepal have come from outside sources. As a country with years of conflict, one would expect to find a failed health system. Instead, Nepal is rapidly achieving it's MDG goals. There are a few barriers healthcare workers had to overcome and two that will probably take longer than expected (Ministry of Health and Population Nepal, 2014). Of the 8 MDG goals, promotion for gender equality and empowerment for women is far off (United nations development program, 2015). This can have a lot to do with the Hindu caste system, poverty, and difficulty reaching rural mountain areas.

 

Barriers overcome in Nepal healthcare:

  •  2007 government commitment to guarantee healthcare for all citizens

  • Physicians= 0.05/1000 people in 1990 to 0.17/1000 people in 2010

  • Nurses & midwives=0 in 1990 to 0.51/1000 people in 2010

  • Hospital bed density= 5 beds/1000 people in 2006

  • Providing services to conflict areas

  • Infrastructure development (expanded roads with more motorized vehicles)

  • Communication expansion (satellite, TV, Radio and mobile phones)

  • Training for staff

  • Access and incentives to give birth in facilities

  • Incentives for health staff and facilities

  • Increase from 975 to 4000 health facilities

  • Increase from 422 to 1121 birthing centers

 

United States healthcare

  • Physicians= 2.25/1000 people in 2011

  • Hospital bed density= 2.9 beds/1000 population 2011

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(Ministry of health and population Nepal, 2014)

Nepal Health System

HEALTH & EDUCATION
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