SNV presence in Asia started in 1980 in Nepal and has since expanded to Bhutan (1988), Vietnam (1995), Laos (2003), Cambodia (2005), and Bangladesh (2005). Our 150 local and international advisors are working hand-in-hand with local actors in some of the remotest and poorest corners of Asia to strengthen their capacity to effectively realise poverty reduction and good governance.
Asia is home to two thirds of the world’s poor, who are living under 1 USD per day. Unprecedented high rates of growth (although with significant adverse environmental implications) have helped to halve poverty in South East and East Asia since 1990, and the region as a whole is likely to achieve MDG 1 by 2015. However, many human development goals will not be achieved at the current rates of progress, and poverty reduction at the local level is often off track.
Inequality has been rising rapidly in the region: between urban and rural areas, between the dominant and minority population groups, between higher and lower castes, the centre and remote regions. This is also the case for the countries SNV works in, especially for Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Lao PDR. Inequality is also significant in Bhutan, and in Vietnam ethnic minority communities do not benefit from growth to the same degree as the majority ethnic group. Economic improvements do not necessarily go with improvements in gender equity. All data indicate, and our experience confirms, that social exclusion is a huge issue in Asia. Nevertheless, although it is not visible in governance indicators, the countries SNV works in are experiencing encouraging trends in terms of democratization, decentralization, the opening of markets and space for civil society. Political stability in Nepal has improved, but the open conflict has been replaced by a turbulent post conflict situation.
SNV will continue to focus in 2008 and 2009 on two Asia sub-regions: Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh in the Hindu Kush Himalayas of South Asia; and Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia in the Mekong region of South East Asia. Opportunities in Central and East Asia will be explored during this period, but not lead to new core funding investments before 2010.
To ensure tangible impact in poverty alleviation, SNV has chosen to offer capacity development services in five sectors: