Abstract:
This report highlights trends in key
demographic and health indicators in Nepal
from data collected in the three demographic
and health surveys: the 1996 Nepal Family
Health Survey (NFHS), the 2001 Nepal
Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) and the
2006 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey
(NDHS). Specifically, the report discusses
changes in demographic and reproductive
health outcomes over the last decade,
including changes in fertility, knowledge and
practice of family planning, maternal and
child health, nutrition, and infant, child
and adult mortality. The report also explores
the knowledge of HIV/AIDS over the decade in
the country. In addition, this report
compares Nepal with other South and Southeast
Asian countries that have data from similarly
conducted demographic and health surveys.
These include India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Pakistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and
the Philippines.
The primary objective of this report is to
provide information needed by planners,
policymakers and program administrators to
assess the current situation and trends in
Nepal, and to design more effective
population and reproductive health programs
aimed at achieving positive outcomes in the
future. The study aims to present the
relative importance of socio-demographic and
economic variables in highlighting inter-
regional differences in Nepal in 1996-2006
and to gauge the country’s progress in
achieving the Millennium Development Goals.