Conclusions and recommendations
DFID's work
1. DFID
has a broad portfolio of programmes in Nepal. We commend DFID
Nepal for reducing their number and for examining the coherence
of its livelihoods and communities' programmes. We recommend
that in its response to this report, DFID report on the findings
of this examination. (Paragraph 23)
2. The Minister of
Finance of GoN told us that he would like DFID to make roads and
power an even greater priority; these are vital for Nepal, but
we see DFID's task as using its influence as the world's largest
provider of ODA to ensure they invest significantly in these sectors.
We broadly support DFID's current bilateral portfolio, but DFID
must ensure that its programmes are in line with the priorities
of GoN and that it is aware of the political implications of its
work. (Paragraph 24)
Climate change and disaster reduction
3. Given
the threats to Nepal from climate change and earthquakes, we welcome
DFID's focus on these issues. We were particularly impressed by
the community forestry programme which shows the advantages of
working in the area for several decades. We support DFID's decision
to give more emphasis to livelihoods in its forestry programmes.
We support DFID's encouragement of solar power and recommend
that this be a priority. However, we consider DFID's work
on disaster resilience is on too small a scale. We recommend
DFID engage with the Government of Nepal in urban planning, including
transport planning. This is an area where UK has considerable
expertise. If necessary, DFID Nepal should employ an additional
adviser. (Paragraph 38)
Economic development
4. We
commend DFID for providing technical support for the Investment
Board of Nepal when no other donors were willing to do so. Nepal
seems about to construct two major hydro-electric schemes which
will help address the country s chronic power shortages. If traditional
political problems are overcome and these schemes are successful,
the Nepalese economy could be transformed and DFID could begin
to develop an exit strategy, perhaps within five years of their
successful completion. We note the technical and design issues
are still being considered and recommend DFID urge the Government
of Nepal to ensure water storage is included in such schemes.
(Paragraph 56)
5. Nepal has huge
potential to benefit from tourism and the jobs it brings. We welcome
DFID's support for this industry in the Nepal Market Development
Programme and recommend it expands this area of its work. We further
recommend that CDC assess the potential for investment in tourism
in Nepal. (Paragraph 57)
Governance and corruption
6. DFID
has provided significant funds for Elections in Nepal but not
for the Constituent Assembly. We support DFID's decision to drop
support for elections; other donors can fund them. We recommend
DFID provide support for Parliament as soon as elections have
been held, focusing on support for women MPs and committees. We
recommend DFID support local elections through its existing local
government programmes if possible, not least because the absence
of local elections is seen as a source of corruption. (Paragraph
62)
7. Corruption is endemic
in Nepal. We welcome ICAI's decision to make Nepal a case study
in its Anti-corruption Inquiry. DFID Nepal has responded robustly
to ICAI's report, criticising its methodology; ICAI has accepted
that the wording of the report gave too much weight to survey
material, but has defended its conclusions. We recommend our
successor Committee discuss with ICAI the contractors it plans
to use in its inquiries and the proposed methodology. We do
not see the use of local NGOs in place of the state as a panacea;
in corrupt societies the NGOs can also be corrupt. If Nepal is
to become less corrupt, improvements have to be made to state
institutions. We recommend that DFID continue to work through
state institutions, but ensure funding is linked to improvements
in performance. DFID's large budget in Nepal can only be justified
if there are such improvements. (Paragraph 74)
8. Increasingly DFID's
bilateral programmes are in the world's most corrupt and fragile
countries. How to work in these corrupt and fragile countries
is increasingly one of DFID's biggest problems and will be one
of the biggest challenges facing not only DFID but also those
charged with its oversight, including our successor Committee,
ICAI and the NAO. We recommend they make this a priority in the
next Parliament. (Paragraph 75)
Health
9. Nepal
has made remarkable progress in its health systems in recent years.
We recommend that DFID maintain its policy of using sector
budget support in Nepal, which should be linked to continuing
improvements, and effective steps to safeguard UK money from corrupt
misuse. (Paragraph 81)
10. Power supplies
to health posts are a serious problem. If health posts cannot
chill their medicines or power their lights they become much less
effective. We recommend that DFID reviews this part of its
programme and assesses whether greater use can be made of solar
power. (Paragraph 85)
11. We are concerned
about reports of absenteeism at the Ministry of Health in Nepal.
This should raise alarm bells about whether corrupt officials
are paying 'ghost workers' or failing to take disciplinary action
when staff are absent. We recommend that DFID use its influence
in the Ministry of Health to require improvements in the attendance
of civil servants at the Ministry. If this does not happen very
quickly, the UK's budget support should be gradually withdrawn.
(Paragraph 89)
12. We recommend
that DFID works to improve links between health sectors in the
UK and Nepal and that Nepal be included in the Health Partnership
Scheme (HPS). We further recommend that DFID improve links between
its health advisors and the NHS, and assess the desirability of
a short secondment to the NHS for its health advisor in Nepal.
(Paragraph 92)
Water and sanitation
13. We
welcome DFID's support for the GWS and recommend that the scheme
be expanded with a brief to work with the poorest communities,
including considering working with the Terai, and not only in
areas with Gurkha connections. We recommend that the GWS share
its knowledge and expertise with the Nepali Government, and other
WASH providers, in order to improve access to WASH across the
country. This might be done by secondments of Nepali Government
engineers to the GWS.
(Paragraph 99)
Women and girls
14. We
recommend that in implementing its centrally-managed programme
on early marriage in Nepal, DFID ensure that is well-integrated
with its bilateral programmes and draws on DFID's experience,
not only from South Asia and also from around the world.
(Paragraph 107)
15. While the situation
of women in some countries in the region may be worse, Nepalese
women face many problems and severe discrimination. We recommend
that DFID address this issue by encouraging a change in social
norms which currently discourage the use of contraception in some
communities and encourage harmful practices, including child marriage
and domestic violence. We also recommend that DFID encourages
education of young girls and boys in schools to instil a greater
sense of worth for women in general. We recommend that DFID continue
to support community groups which can play a key role in changing
social norms. (Paragraph 126)
16. Great strides
have been made in the provision and use of family planning, but
certain groups such as Dalit and Muslim communities have high
fertility rates and low use of contraception. We recommend
that DFID looks at innovative ways in which contraception use
can be increased. This is not just a matter of distributing contraceptives.
(Paragraph 127)
17. We recommend
that in its Security and Justice programme, DFID ensures it places
sufficient emphasis on engagement with community groups and the
education system to change social norms and to encourage greater
awareness of the legal age of marriage.
(Paragraph 128)
18. We are very
concerned about selective abortion of female foetuses. We recommend
that DFID carefully monitor male to female birth ratios for changes
since the 2011 census. (Paragraph 129)
19. We recommend
that DFID encourage the Nepali police to introduce training for
police officers in relation to women-specific issues, such as
sexual violence, and to improve their mechanisms for collecting
statistics of gender-based crime (both reported and prosecuted).
(Paragraph 130)
20. We are concerned
that the high rate of suicide amongst women and girls and their
mental health is not being addressed; we recommend that DFID review
the issue and discuss with GoN how it best be tackled.
(Paragraph 131)
| 
