Gender Equality Update highlights results of Nepal’s Post-Disaster Needs Assessment
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In its fourth edition, the UN Women and OCHA-led Gender Working Group’s Gender Equality Update highlights the results of Nepal’s Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), along with news and key facts summaries related to gender equality and women’s empowerment in the emergency response after the earthquakes in Nepal.
Women and girls in Nepal are being impacted by poor living conditions, disruptions in economic activities and loss of income. Some have resorted to child labour, human trafficking and early marriage as a way to make ends meet. Added disruptions in policing, justice systems and loss of family protection also mean that vulnerable groups are at greater risk of violence, abuse and exploitation. The report also emphasizes how damage and inadequate access to safe, hygienic and private toilets is affecting girls attending school.
The assessment recommends giving women and other discriminated social groups representation in all recovery programmes to ensure they benefit equally. Promoting attainment of ownership rights, tenure rights, certification and registration can also guarantee that women are not being further marginalized by relief efforts, and have access to information on disaster-management services. Encouraging the availability of rehabilitation and reconstruction jobs, such as public works, investment funds and income-generating projects enable long-term economic recovery.
To this end, an estimated 57,300 households in Nepal have already benefitted from safe demolition and debris removal, and 42 per cent of people engaged in debris management are women. In addition, gender-based violence responders have increased prevention and response activities, including establishing women’s security committees in several displacement sites. Eleven trainings on gender-based violence in eight different districts have reached nearly 300 participants. The bulletin also details how a multipurpose women’s centre set up in the Sindhupalchowk district of Nepal is helping women cope with gender-based violence.