Opinion | A call for inclusive disaster risk reduction
Summary
The October 2025 floods in Nepal disproportionately affected vulnerable groups including women, children, elderly, and marginalized communities, highlighting the need for inclusive disaster risk reduction and improved data to ensure no one is left behind.
Key Points
- The October 4-5, 2025 flood severely impacted Durga Bhagwati Municipality and displaced many vulnerable groups, including pregnant women needing health services.
- Women, children, elderly, persons with disabilities, Dalits, and poor communities face disproportionate vulnerability to disasters due to socio-economic factors.
- Nepal's disaster management policies emphasize inclusion, but implementation is weak, with early warnings and shelters often inaccessible to marginalized groups.
- Strengthening sex, age, and disability disaggregated data (SADDD), inclusive early warning systems, accessible shelters, and meaningful representation in disaster governance are essential for equitable disaster risk reduction.
