UN Women highlights heightened vulnerabilities faced by women and girls in flood-affected districts of Nepal, calling for urgent support and protection measures.
Nearly 160,000 women and girls in the districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot, Nepal, have been directly or indirectly affected by the severe flash floods that struck the region on August 26. According to a gender alert issued by UN Women, the disaster has exacerbated risks of violence, exploitation, and deprivation for these vulnerable groups.
The floods have caused widespread devastation, resulting in over 500 deaths, nearly 1,000 people missing, and the destruction of approximately 10,000 homes. Survivors face critical shortages of food, clean water, healthcare, and protection services.
UN Women Representative in Nepal, Patricia Fernandez-Pacheco, emphasized the disproportionate burden borne by women and girls during such disasters. She warned that existing risks escalate, with increased threats of abuse and limited access to essential services and medicine. The agency noted that about one in three women in the affected districts is illiterate, complicating their ability to access relief information and assistance.
Economic hardships are also a major concern, as one-third of households in Bagmati Province are led by women, many of whom depend on remittances strained by the crisis.
In response, UN Women is collaborating with government bodies, UN agencies, women’s rights organizations, and humanitarian partners to provide essential services and support recovery efforts. Among initiatives is a women-led Community Kitchen program aimed at immediate food assistance and fostering women’s leadership and livelihood opportunities.
UN Women has launched an appeal for US$2 million to aid women and girls displaced or at heightened risk due to the floods, including risks related to violence and trafficking.
This joint effort seeks to address both the immediate needs and long-term recovery of affected women and girls in Nepal’s flood-impacted regions.
Sources referenced:
- https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/nearly-160000-women-girls-affected-by-nepal-floods-un-women
