Lao PDR Impact Report 2022 – Lao People’s Democratic Republic (the)

Overview of Lao PDR priority sectors

Child Protection

• World Vision recognises that vulnerability of children is very high in Lao PDR.
• A report released by UNICEF in 2018, Measuring Progress on Child Wellbeing in Lao PDR, reported that approximately 70% of children aged below 18 in Lao PDR experience at least two forms of deprivation.
• Consequences for lifelong productive and social participation.
• 50% of children are suffering from three or more deprivations at the same time.
• Only 12% of children experience no deprivation at all.
• 25% of Lao mothers/caregivers of children aged 1-14 believe that physical punishment is necessary.
• A high prevalence of child marriage is observed with one in three women aged 20-49 married before they reach the age of 18, with 7% married before the age of 15.

Nutrition & Health

• High needs are observed in maternal and child health.
• High rates of malnutrition observed in children under 5 years (Stunting 33%, Wasting 9% and underweight 21%).
• Maternal Mortality ratio of 185.0.
• Adolescent Birth Rate of 65.4 – all the highest prevalence in the East Asia region.

Education

• The mean years of school is 5.3 years.
• Low spending in education is reflected in low education quality and learning.
• While the average student spends over 10.8 years in school, he/she learns the equivalent of only 6.4 years during that period.
• Student comprehensive learning outcomes are concerning with on average, only one in three Grade 3 students meeting literacy standards.
• Nearly 40% of children under the age of 5 – a crucial period for neural development – have no access to early learning opportunities.

Food Security & Livelihood

• Agriculture is the main source of livelihood in Laos.
• Food security remains challenging, especially for districts affected by unexploded ordnance (UXOs).
• More than 2 million tons of UXOs were dropped between 1964 and 1973, with 30% failing to detonate.
• The impact of these on poverty is clear, with 42 of the 46 poorest districts affected by UXOs.

Climate Change

• Laos is vulnerable to climate changes.
• In recent years, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events has increased with damaging floods along the Mekong River.
• In 2020, Laos rated 9.1/10 with physical exposure to floods and 6/10 in the lack of coping capacity dimension.

Social Inclusion

• Laos’ extreme diversity in ethnicity and geography is another challenge to development.
• The vulnerability of children increases when living in inaccessible areas (with no road access year-round).
• This impacts health services and education coverages.
• Poor infrastructure and government services in remote and mountainous areas continue to place ethnically diverse communities at a disadvantage.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
   • Indicator: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line.

2. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.
   • Indicator: Prevalence of undernourishment.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
   • Indicator: Under-5 mortality rate.

4. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
   • Indicator: Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics.

5. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
   • Indicator: Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 18.

6. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
   • Indicator: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services.

7. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
   • Indicator: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income.

8. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • Indicator: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.

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Source: reliefweb.int

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