Nepal has achieved a majority of the target on children and pregnant mothers of Millennium Development Goals, according to a new survey released on Thursday.

While the deadline for MDGs expired in 2015, the Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (NMICS) 2014, released by Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) shows that improvements have been seen in areas of infant mortality rate, underweight of children among others. While some other indicators including stunting and immunisation of measles vaccine is on track.  

According to the findings, the Infant mortality rate (IMR) decreased to 33 deaths per 1,000 live births from 46 in 2010.

Similarly, nine percent children under five are severely underweight; some 57 percent of infants under six months were exclusively breastfed, according to findings of Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (NMICS) 2014.

According to the findings, only 67 percent of children aged 12–23 months had received all recommended vaccinations by their first birthday. Likewise, drinking water was used from an improved drinking water source almost universally (93 per cent of the population).

Also, it has been revealed that some 26 percent still practice open defecation, the total fertility rate in Nepal is 2.3, and the net intake rate in primary education was low at 42 percent.

According to NMICS 2014, birth registration in Nepal is still not widely practiced with only 58 per cent of births registered; 37 per cent of children aged 5–17 years were involved in child labour and of all women aged 15–49 years in Nepal, one-fifth read a newspaper or magazine at least once a week.

A survey conducted on women aged 15–49 years revealed that 9 percent of them had smoked cigarettes or used other tobacco products while some 10 percent have had at least one drink of alcohol during last month, according to NMICS report.

 “Forty-three  per cent of women felt that a husband was justified in hitting or beating his wife in at least one of five situations (wife neglects the children, wife goes out without telling husband, wife argues with husband, wife refuses to have sex with husband, wife burns the food),” according to the NMICS report.

Overall, 81 per cent of young women expressed satisfaction with their life, revealed the study.

MICS is an internationally agreed household survey programme developed by UNICEF and constitutes of one of the world's largest sources of statistical information on children and women.

NMICS 2014 provides evidence on the situation of children and women in Nepal before the country was hit by 7.8 magnitude earthquake on April, last year. The findings of the survey also helped in the government’s Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) to identify the financial needs of post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction.

The NMICS survey findings will also contribute to the UN Secretary-General’s report to the UN General Assembly on the achievements of Millennium Development Goals.