Effectiveness of HRD for developing SMEs in South Asia

Today South Asia is host to a large youth bulge which is entering the labor market every year posing challenging questions for the national governments in the context of employable skills, space for entrepreneurship, innovation and economic freedom. SME sector provides an opportunity for the young to exercise their ideas and ideals. However a prerequisite for the young to be innovate is the how countries produce and retain a high end human capital. This study provides a review of national socio-economic policies in South Asian region - which answer such challenges.human resource development, small and medium enterprises, economic growth, competitiveness

Data Ecosystems for Sustainable Development: An Assessment of Six Pilot Countries

A data revolution for sustainable development is underway, reshaping how knowledge is produced and used, policy is formulated, and governance is redefined and enacted around the world. At its core, it is about people—as users, producers, beneficiaries, and owners of data—who must be at the centre of accountability and participatory mechanisms for the 2030 Agenda and in turn be closely involved in the delivery of the new development agenda. To this end, UNDP has sought to facilitate interactions, synergies and partnerships among different stakeholders, governments, civil society, international development organizations and the private sector that are grounded in perspectives of, and meaningful participation from, people. UNDP particularly seeks to ensure that development experience from the grassroots informs global discussions, and that the data revolution is actionable at the national level.While significant strides have been made with respect to upgrading data and statistical systems since the adoption of the MDGs, the 2030 Agenda encompasses a far broader ambition requiring better, more timely and reliable data on a wider variety of indicators. Thus its adoption by countries around the world necessitates an even more significant increase in the data that is available to, and used by, governments, civil society, the private sector, academia and international organizations to begin tracking progress towards the achievement of the SDGs.This synthesis report presents the findings of six pilot case studies assessing the readiness of national data ecosystems to harness the data revolution for the implementation and monitoring of the 2030 Agenda. This assessment focuses on the legal and policy frameworks and capacities for official statistics; entry points for action and obstacles for multi-stakeholder engagement on data for SDG implementation and monitoring; innovation and new technologies for plugging data gaps; and the infrastructure requirements for improved collection, dissemination and use of data for sustainable development

Debating Diversity in Provision of Universal Primary Education in Bangladesh

Multiple providers (including state, quasi-state and non-state ones) have contributed to raising initial enrolment and improving gender balance in Bangladesh. The critical question is how multiplicity and diversity of provision can contribute to achieving truly universal primary education with high completion rates and acceptable levels of learning. In this paper, these questions are addressed in the context of history and circumstances of educational development in Bangladesh, as the Government attempts to put into effect a new national education policy and design a five year (2011-15) national development plan

Information and communication Technology and Poverty: An Asian Perspective

The emergence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), in particular the Internet, has generated new enthusiasms about the development prospects for poor economies. Many now think that new technologies can provide a faster route to better livelihoods and improved quality of life than the one afforded by the standard process of industrialization. The opposing view holds that the focus on ICTs will detract attention from the more fundamental task of addressing the basic problems of economic developmentICT; poverty; growth

Rural Information Provision in Bangladesh: A Study on Development Research Network

This paper aims to explore the rural information provision in Bangladesh and to examine users’ opinion regarding such information provision with a case study of Development Research Network (D.Net)- a non government organization. Besides the review of secondary sources, data were collected using an unstructured interview of eight officials of selected Pallitathya Kendra (rural information centre) of D.Net. The case study also conducted a survey of 120 rural dwellers from the selected centres of D.Net to receive their opinions using a structured questionnaire. The analysis suggests that D.Net provides rural dwellers of Bangladesh access to information through a number of innovative programmes and services with special reference to Pallitathya programme and InfoLady Services. The result also shows that ninety percent of the respondents are more or less satisfied with the existing programmes and services of D.Net. The study, however, makes certain recommendations for more effective and efficient rural information provision in Bangladesh made by D.Net. Keywords: Rural information, development research network, D.Net, Pallitathya Kendra, InfoLady, Bangladesh

Innovative Strategies for Accelerated Human Resource Development in South Asia: Teacher Professional Development - Special Focus on Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka

Significant investments have been made to modernize and improve the provision of education services. Strengthening teacher development has been a key component of these investments. However, programs on teacher development have provided mixed results. This report adopts a 360-degree perspective to review the current status of teacher development, demand and supply, and performance management in five countries from the South Asia region including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, with limited reference to Bhutan and Maldives. It probes beyond teacher in-service training and teacher job conditions, and investigates systemic and structural issues. Continued investment may not be the best option to improve the quality and supply of teachers, and so the challenge is how to leverage resources to meet the demand

Open and Distance Learning for Basic Education in South Asia: its potential for hard-to-reach children and children in conflict and disaster areas: Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Country Studies

These are the country studies for the UNICEF funded project which explores the ways in which, in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka various forms of open and distance learning could be developed to better meet the needs of marginalised children and those affected by natural disaster (Bangladesh) and by conflict (Sri Lanka)

Open and distance learning for basic education in South Asia: its potential for hard to reach children and children in conflict and disaster areas

This is the main report in a UNICEF funded project which explores the ways in which, across South Asia, various forms of open and distance learning could be developed to better meet the needs of marginalised children and those affected by natural disaster and by conflic