Displaced women and children in Nepal are seeking safe places to live. A month after the deadly floods in Nepal that swept away the Krishma Tamang community in the Rasuwagadhi region, this 26-year-old pregnant woman is still struggling to find a safe place to live.
Difficult Living Conditions in Camps
Krishma, who is expecting her second child, is moving from place to place with her four-year-old daughter. She said, "Initially, we lived in a covered hall in the Bidur municipality in Nuwakot, where hundreds of people were in a shared shelter for days." Currently, they have moved to a temporary tent in the Barahachaur area, but they cannot sleep on rainy nights because the tent leaks during the rain.
Need for Security and Privacy
Krishma noted that there are no proper toilets, and only one temporary latrine has been set up near the tents. Pregnant women and children like Krishma need privacy and safety, but these facilities are severely lacking in affected areas. She said, "It would be great if we had a stable place to live where I could cook food and feel secure."
The flood on August 26, caused by the collapse of a glacier on the Nepal-China border, killed approximately 1,450 people and left over 5,500 missing. The cost of reconstruction is estimated at around $4.8 billion.
Save the Children Nepal has warned that protective measures for children and families in affected areas need to be strengthened. The organization also emphasized the need to address potential risks such as trafficking, violence, and child marriage.
Ayush Joshi, communications director at Save the Children Nepal, stated that many temporary camps have been built without planning, and living conditions are extremely unsafe. He added, "Such conditions naturally increase the risk of insecurity, abuse, and exploitation, especially for young girls and children."
The Nepalese government has also assessed the risks of trafficking and abuse of children and is working with organizations like Save the Children to strengthen protective measures in refugee locations.
