The earthquake that struck Nepal in April 2015 had a tragic impact on life, livestock and
property. According to the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment report (PDNA), prepared by the
National Planning Commission, more than 9,000 people were killed and 22,300 people were
injured whereas according to the Nepal Earthquake Humanitarian Report, more than 600,000
houses were destroyed and another 290,000 were damaged.
However, this paper goes beyond impact of the earthquake in the immediate aftermath in order to
evaluate how it affected existing marginalized groups and to what extent were their existing
vulnerabilities further exacerbated. This paper discusses and analyses the impact of the April
earthquake on women and young girls and women with disabilities. The paper demonstrates the
cross-sectional impact of the earthquake on women by assessing their position in the society
determined by their gender, class, caste, age, political patronage, and physical disability. With
data collected from the field, the paper aims to highlight the additional burden of a natural
disaster on women in relation to their role as mothers and primary caregivers within the family
unit.