Nepal’s Devastating Floods Have Put Women and Girls at Greater Risk

by Oritro Karim (kathmandu, nepal / new york, united states)Friday, September 25, 2026Inter Press Service KATHMANDU, Nepal / NEW YORK, United States , September 25 (IPS) - On August 26, 2026, deadly flash floods and landslides ripped through Himalayan towns and villages along Nepal and Tibet’s border, devastating communities. The United Nations estimates that in Nepal’s worst-affected districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot, 157,050 women and girls are directly or indirectly impacted. Ranjeeta SilwalAs Nepal moves from emergency response to recovery and reconstruction, Ranjeeta Silwal, Equality Now’s South Asia Regional Representative, who lives in Kathmandu, explains in an interview how decisions about shelter, healthcare, education, livelihoods and social protection must prioritise the specific needs of women and girls. She also calls for women and girls to have a central role in shaping recovery and climate adaptation, so rebuilding strengthens their rights and resilience rather than reinforcing existing gender inequalities.Climate change, melting glaciers and Nepal’s catastrophic floodsShortly after 8:30 am, a catastrophic avalanche of glacial ice and bedrock roughly two square kilomet...