Women worst affected in Dhunche VDC of Rasuwa

Anju Dhungana, Women Development Officer in Rasuwa mentioned that women have been worst affected in Dhunche VDC of Rasuwa by the Earthquake devastation that struck Nepal on 25th April. Rasuwa is amongst the worst affected districts hit by the devastation with epicenter in Gorkha. A data analysis of the injured and affected population also validated this. Among the reported total affected cases of 251, death rate of women stood at 62% and that of injured at 59% (Table 1).

Table 1 Gender segregated data of death and injured population in Rasuwa

Gender	Total Population in Rasuwa	Proportion Population in Rasuwa (%)	Death Recorded Until 6th May	Proportion Death (%)	Injured Recorded Until 6th May	Proportion Injured (%)
F	21300	50	155	62	139	59
M	22000	50	96	38	96	41
Total	43300	100	251	100	235	100

Even post devastation, women were hit hard emotionally and were overburdened to care for children, worry about food and logistics. The impacts on women were more obvious than men.  Ms. Ritu Tamang, a Social Mobiliser of LGCDP in Dhunche VDC of Rasuwa mentioned, “Since men are always mobile, searching for relief and attending meetings, they had lesser household responsibility and had better chance to escape from the devastation.” In addition, women are also facing problems of safe housing and sanitation; problem of toilet and changing clothes while they live in temporary shelters, said Ritu.

Ek Raj Sigdel &

Reshu Karki