Office of the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar

Strong commitment sought on Millennium

Development Goals

Yangon, 1 December 2010 - Increased national and international commitment is sought to

support the Millennium Development Goals in Myanmar. This was a key conclusion from the
monthly Myanmar Humanitarian Partnership Group meeting, held in Yangon on 30 November.

The meeting, attended by over 70 experts, heads of missions and UN agencies, diplomats and aid
workers, included presentations and discussions on country-level actions in support of the
Millennium Development Goals, as a follow-up to the recent Global MDG Summit in New
York.

“Positive gains have been made in recent years in some areas. It is important that we work hard
collectively to achieve the MDG targets in critical areas like poverty reduction, maternal health
and child mortality,” said the UN Resident/Coordinator, Bishow Parajuli.

“Both national and international partners need to increase efforts within all areas covered by the
Millennium Development Goals to bring about progress. What is important now is that we keep
moving and strengthen partnerships with all stakeholders,” he said.

With the International Day of Disability being marked on 3 December, the meeting also
reviewed efforts made to support people with disability in Myanmar.

“Poverty leads to disability and disability leads to poverty, said Dr Zaw Moe Aung, Country
Director for the Leprosy Mission International and member of the Myanmar National Disability
Working Group, which is comprised of representatives of Government ministries, UN agencies,
INGOs, local NGOs, Disabled People’s Organizations and the private sector.

“Poor people are in higher risks of getting diseases which could lead to disability. And a people
with disability are less educated and often subject to social exclusion, which impact their
livelihood and make them economically disadvantaged,” he said

Some 2.3% of people in Myanmar live with a disability of some sort, which translates into a
prevalence of one person with disability in every 10 households. These households are
twice as economically vulnerable as households without a disabled person, according to a recent
survey conducted by the Myanmar National Disability Working Group.
Only 10% of disabled persons in Myanmar attend high school and only 15% report any current
livelihood. Less than 2% of people with disability have access to the additional services they
need, according to the survey.

In his concluding remark, the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator underscored the need for
both national and international partners to support the inclusion of disabled persons in
programmes and activities, as mandated by article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities.

“National authorities, as well as UN agencies, international and national non-governmental

organizations and the donor community have as joint responsibility in ensuring that that most
vulnerable and disadvantaged people are engaged and benefit from all development efforts in
Myanmar,” said Bishow Parajuli.

For more information, please contact:

Esben Q. Harboe
Special Assistant to the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator
Tel: +951 542 910/919 - ext 430
Mob: +95 (0)9507 4853
E-mail: esben.harboe@undp.org