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Nepal’s Multisector Nutrition Plan II (MSNP II, 2018–2022), a follow-up to the original Multisector Nutrition Plan (2013–2017), engages seven sectors in collaborating to address malnutrition: education; health; agriculture; livestock; drinking water and sanitation; women, children, and social welfare; and local governance. This plan aims to reduce child stunting from 36 percent in 2016 to 24 percent by 2025 and 14 percent by 2030 (SUN 2017).
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The goals of the Agricultural Development Strategy (ADS, 2015– 2035) are to commercialize and diversify agriculture and to achieve sustainable agricultural growth and poverty reduction (GoN NPC 2018). Among other things, the ADS seeks to develop the private and cooperative sectors and increase public-private partnerships (MOAD 2015; Gairhe, Shrestha, and Timsina 2018). Implementation of the ADS, however, has been slow, owing in part to a lack of coordination between governing bodies (Subedi 2020; GoN NPC 2018).
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The Food and Nutrition Security Plan (FNSP, 2013–2023) complements the ADS by targeting the poorest households to ensure they benefit from the national-level programs and policies of the ADS. The objective of the FNSP is to reduce hunger, malnutrition, and poverty among the poorest households by promoting sustainable agriculture-based livelihoods (MOAD 2013).
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The Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act (2018) establishes the rights of all citizens to food and food security. It stipulates, “The Government of Nepal, Provincial Government and Local Level shall make necessary arrangements, with mutual coordination, for the respect, protection and fulfillment” of these rights (GoN 2018; GoN NPC 2018).
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Article 38 of Nepal’s Constitution (2015) lists the rights of women. These include the right to safe motherhood and reproductive health, and the right not to be subjected to physical, mental, sexual, psychological, or other forms of violence or exploitation on grounds of religious, social, or cultural tradition or practice, or on any other grounds (GoN 2015b). Moreover, the Government of Nepal includes gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) practices and principles at various levels, including multiple sectoral ministries that have committed to GESI (GESI Working Group 2017; GoN NPC 2018).
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The Nepal Health Sector Strategy (NHSS, 2015–2020) guarantees access to basic health services as a fundamental right of every citizen and articulates the nation’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage. The NHSS acknowledges nutrition as a cross-cutting issue and emphasizes better implementation of the Ministry of Health and Population’s existing plans, policies, and strategies (MoHP 2015).
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The Ministry of Water Supply and Sanitation’s Sectoral Development Plan (SDP) identifies priorities aimed at meeting the country’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets regarding WASH and serves as a framework for planning, implementing, coordinating, and monitoring all activities in the sector. The government’s SDG targets include ensuring basic water supply coverage for 99 percent of households, providing a piped water supply and improved sanitation to 90 percent of households, and eliminating open defecation by 2030 (Budhathoki 2019).
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Nepal’s Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2018 establishes that every child aged 5–13 has the right to free and compulsory education in a neighborhood school until the completion of basic education (Jha 2019). Likewise, children have the right to free secondary education. The National Education Policy (2019) seeks to make education competitive, technology-friendly, employment-oriented, and productive at all levels (Maharjan 2019).