Regional meeting in Kathmandu to develop roadmap on poverty eradication, MDGs

Stating that none of the countries of South Asia is on track to meet all targets of Millennium Development Goals by 2015, the UN organizations along with ADB are organizing a regional meeting in Kathmandu to develop roadmap on eradication of extreme poverty and attainment of other MDGs.

"More than 100 delegates from eight different South Asian countries meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, next week are expected to develop a 'road map' to eradicate extreme poverty in South Asia by 2015," states a news release issued by UNESCAP.

The news release adds that high-ranking government ministers, policy makers, representatives of civil society, business leaders, academics and the media will gather at the South Asian MDG Forum, scheduled for 11-12 October, to discuss how South Asia can put an end to development problems and work towards meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The meeting is being jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia- Pacific (UNESCAP), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"South Asia, one of the world's dynamic regions, has made good progress towards achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). According to the UN, none of the countries in South Asia is on track to meet all the goals by 2015 and the MDG clock is ticking," the news release adds.

The MDGs are the world's time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions– income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion – whilst promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability .

Meanwhile, as part of the Forum, the MDG Media Awards will be launched at a press conference on 11 October. Open to broadcast producers and journalists in print, radio and television media in the Asia-Pacific region, the Awards carry a US$7,000 winning prize and US$2,000 runners-up prize. The Awards aim to recognize the important role that the media play in creating public awareness of the MDGs and encourage increased reporting on the 'human' story behind the MDGs, the release adds. nepalnews.com sd Oct 05 06