From home to hospital, women face violence when they need care most
Summary
Women in Nepal are facing violence, coercion and neglect during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, according to a 2026 FWLD fact-finding study covering all seven provinces. The report found widespread emotional, physical and sexual abuse at home and mistreatment at health facilities, alongside major gaps in consent, privacy and respectful care.
Key Points
- A 2026 FWLD study found that 38.4% of pregnant women, 37.9% of women during childbirth and 35.9% of postpartum women reported some form of violence.
- Abuse often came from husbands and relatives, while son preference, alcohol use and patriarchal beliefs fueled coercion, forced sex and pressure to terminate pregnancies.
- Many women also faced poor treatment in health facilities, including lack of information, examinations without consent, privacy violations and neglect during labor and recovery.
- Police and health officials said underreporting, staffing shortages and weak systems remain major barriers to protecting women and ensuring respectful maternity care.
