MDG Profile:
Local development projects will show level of MDG achievement
The Government of Myanmar is the main stakeholder in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It has yet to develop a comprehensive national strategy to facilitate achievement, particularly in poverty reduction. Regional or sectoral development projects were used to achieve some of the MDGs, such as the Border Area Development project, a project for 24 special development zones, an integrated rural development project, and sectoral projects of different line ministries.
Targets for Goals 4, 5, and 6 (child mortality, maternal health, and HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, respectively) were set by the Ministry of Health; Goal 7 (environmental sustainability) by the Ministry of Forestry.
Projects are classed in two categories: those formulated by the government and those formulated by United Nations organizations or international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in collaboration with the government. The reproductive health project (with the United Nations Population Fund), and the child immunization project and women and child health project (with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund) are examples of health sector projects aimed towards MDG goals 4 and 5.
The greening of dry zones by the Ministry of Forestry (with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability (Goal 7) and raising primary school enrolment (Goal 2), initiated by the Ministry of Education, are examples for other sectors. These activities are coordinated centrally by committees composed of relevant ministers.
To halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, an initiative to raise the funding has been made, and the Ministry of Health has been cooperating with the United Nations system and national and international NGOs in this effort to meet Goal 6.
Although progress has been made towards achieving the Goals related to health and education, lack of routine data collection combined with a weak monitoring and evaluation system makes it difficult to measure progress – particularly in poverty reduction. An integrated household survey was carried out with the support of UNDP in 2004-2005 and should yield many relevant MDG indicators to use as a baseline. The results of a survey of a UNDP pipeline project will also be useful.
Another challenge is that assistance from organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Asian Development Bank has been suspended since 1988, and official development assistance is very low.
Last updated 1 November 2007
