April 25, 2018 – Today marks three years since a massive earthquake and violent aftershock leveled Nepal, killing 9,000 people, injuring an additional 22,000 people, and affecting roughly one quarter of the country’s population.
The earthquake struck while Nepal was attempting to implement a political transition and rebuild following the resolution of its ten-year civil war in 2006.
Following both the earthquake and the conflict, Nepali women played a crucial yet underappreciated role in relief efforts, and many continue to help the country as it moves into long-term recovery initiatives.
This study and video by Georgetown’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security explore how gender-based discrimination and legal barriers amplified the adverse impacts of the conflict and the earthquake on women.
In spite of these challenges, the report illuminates how women and women’s organizations led relief efforts and met the needs of marginalized communities—including women—following the conflict and disaster. Their work helped to save lives, preserve communities, and rebuild livelihoods.
Finally, the study details how Nepali women continue to advocate for policy and humanitarian changes that better address women’s needs and open opportunities for marginalized groups, ultimately helping communities become stronger and more resilient.
“This report ties together two fields of study that are often seen as discrete, but are actually intertwined: post-conflict transitions and disaster risk reduction,” said Briana Mawby, who co-authored the research study.
Of the 15 countries with the highest vulnerability to disasters, 14 are among the top 50 most fragile states.
“Given the increasing effects of climate change, understanding the intersection of post-conflict recovery and disaster response will be even more important in the years to come,” added co-author Anna Applebaum.