Nepal: Interview - 'Absence of local bodies challenging development'

Shoko Noda is the newly appointed country director of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Nepal. She has served in various capacities in the UN throughout the globe since 1998. Meena Bhatta of Republica caught up with Noda to talk about UNDP’s development achievements and the way forward.

"We have added disaster risk reduction as one of the core areas in our portfolio. Nepal has made much progress but if a major disaster occurs, the developmental gains could be lost in no time. Our focus in the days to come will be in developing policies for more effective inclusive development, empowering women and the marginalized groups."