Gender Equality Update 36 | Nepal

Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020,  the SARS-CoV-2 virus has claimed over six million lives. It has destroyed the livelihoods of countless people and also disproportionately affected communities and groups who were already marginalized in a pre-pandemic society.

In the wake of this ongoing global pandemic — which is one of the deadliest in history — women and girls face an ever-increasing burden catalyzed by health and financial woes. Excluded groups, such as the LGBTIQ+ community and people with disabilities, have fared no better. In addition, women with disabilities have become vulnerable to economic violence, leading to the creation of financial barriers that keep them from accessing services.

On 29 March 2022, the 28th Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) Task Team Meeting was organized by UN Women Nepal to discuss the "Evolving issues and challenges faced by women and excluded groups in the on-going COVID-19 context." This Gender Equality Update 36 summarizes and expands on the Task Team’s findings concerning the unique challenges faced by the LGBTIQ+ community, Dalit women, home-based workers and disabled women in Nepal.