Maternal health conditions remain dismal. South Asia accounts for one third of the world’s maternal deaths, and it suffers the lowest level of antenatal care coverage among all developing regions, with only 36 per cent of women receiving the recommended four visits during their pregnancy.

Likewise, South Asia has achieved its MDG target of cutting by half the proportion of people in 1990 without access to water. But it is lagging behind in providing access to safe sanitation to its population, with 580 million people still without access.

From 2006 to 2015, the region will have to more than double the number of people currently using toilets or other forms of improved sanitation, adds the report.

The report has shown that contraction in economic growth in most South Asian countries outside of India is expected to devastate jobs and incomes. The percentage of productively engaged people classified as being employed in vulnerable sectors may be as high as 84 per cent for women and 74 per cent for men, according to International Labour Organisation projections for 2008.

Despite gains for girls in grade school enrollment, South Asian women remain at a huge disadvantage in job opportunities. Only 19 per cent of paid jobs in the region, outside of agricultural employment, are held by women.

The report is based on a set of data prepared by over 20 organisations both within and outside the UN. The project is overseen by the UN Secretariat’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It was launched in the presence of Dr S J Habayeb, WHO representative to India, Deirdre Boyd, UNDP country director and Dr Biswajit Dhar, director general, Research and Information System for Developing Countries.