Submit your Article

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new initiative to help assess and manage climate and disaster risks in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, a critical water tower supporting the livelihoods of more than a billion people across Asia. 

Through technical assistance, ADB will undertake deep analysis of multi-hazard risks which include landslides, earthquakes, and floods—including from glacier lake outbursts—and vulnerabilities in Bhutan and Nepal, said ADB in a press statement.  This will help to strengthen the two governments’ capacities to conduct risk assessments in priority river basins. These assessments will be used to develop early warning systems and risk management options for future infrastructure development.

Home to the largest ice reserves outside of the polar regions, the Hindu Kush Himalayas feed 10 major rivers which sustain the livelihoods of 240 million people in the mountains and more than 1.6 billion people downstream, the statement says. 

The region is warming faster than the global average and if global temperature rises hit 3°C, 75% of glaciers in Bhutan and Nepal could melt by the end of this century. That would place unprecedented stress on access to water, threaten food and energy security, and result in significant biodiversity loss. 

“The roof of the world is melting,” said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa. “The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is critical to the well-being and economic security of more than a billion people across our region. This initiative will help equip Bhutan and Nepal with essential information and enable them to invest in effective climate adaptation—which is now critical to managing climate risk.”

From 1985 to 2014, economic losses resulting from disasters in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region totaled $45 billion, much higher than those of any other mountain region. Since then, the increasing frequency and intensity of disaster events have pushed up economic losses and the number of people killed or displaced by such events.

“We must urgently ensure that finance is flowing into climate adaptation projects,” said ADB Principal Economist Declan Magee. “This requires high quality and dynamic assessments of climate and disaster risks that account for multiple hazards that can have impacts across borders.”

ADB’s assistance will help the governments, private sector, and local communities to understand the risks they face so they can decide on disaster risk reduction and adaptation measures, as well as risk transfer solutions including insurance. The technical assistance will set the stage for advancing knowledge across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region on climate resilient investment planning, development, and risk management. 

As Asia and the Pacific’s climate bank, ADB aims to provide $100 billion in climate financing from its own resources from 2019 to 2030, including $34 billion for adaptation. In 2022, ADB committed $7.1 billion of climate finance, including $4.3 billion for mitigation and $2.8 billion for adaptation. The bank mobilized an additional $548 million in climate finance from the private sector last year.

Case 1 

Manisha Ruchal (15) was found dead in Shantipur of Chandrakot-4, Gulmi, on November 3. Police investigation concluded that the girl had been murdered after rape. Rahish Khan (23), a teacher at local Madarasa, was arrested in connection with the incident.

Case 2 

An 11-year-old girl was raped in Nijgad-12, Bara, on October 2. Police arrested Som Bahadur Lungwa (60) for committing the crime. In another disturbing case, a seven-year-old girl was raped in Gausala-5, Mahottari, on November 23. She had been raped by Jugal Kishor Sah, her school teacher.

Data provided by the Nepal Police headquarters shows that a staggering 64.22 percent of sexual violence victims across the country are minor girls. Most of these girls are in the 11-16 age group. Out of the 3,510 reported cases of sexual violence in 2022/23, 1,386 involved child victims, including 13 boys and 1,370 girls. Nine girls lost their lives.

Data also shows that 83.15 percent of sexual violence against children is committed by close acquaintances and relatives. Sexual violence encompasses various crimes such as rape, child sexual abuse, unnatural sex, kidnapping, and forced killing.

Inspector General of Nepal Police Basanta Kunwar says that the alarming number of child victims in sexual assault cases reflects the grim reality of society. “It is quite disturbing that the perpetrators are often known to the victims—acquaintances, neighbors, relatives, or teachers.”

He calls for a collective effort from society to protect minors.

Senior Superintendent of Police Dr. Manoj KC says the escalating cases of crimes against children indicate a breakdown in societal trust. 

“The figures lay bare the sorry state of our society. It is imperative that we unite to protect our children,” he says.

Police data also show that 78.82 percent of cases of gender violence are related to domestic violence. About a quarter of these cases were registered in Madhes Province. Out of 17,000 cases of domestic violence registered in 2022/23, 4,473 cases were registered in Madhes. Similarly, 3,058 cases were registered in Kathmandu Valley.

As Nepal observes 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, stakeholders have expressed deep concern over children being targeted by family members and acquaintances. 

Superintendent of Police Ranju Sigdel of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens Service Directorate of Nepal Police expresses deep concern about the alarming rise in cases of gender-based violence against women and children. 

“The data indicates that up to six children are falling victim to sexual abuse every day. Given that a majority of perpetrators in these cases are relatives and acquaintances, parents must exercise utmost vigilance,” she says. “We are talking about only the cases that have been reported. There could be many unreported cases.”

Under Secretary at the National Human Rights Commission Nitu Gartaula blames the police for not taking the cases involving women and children seriously. She cites instances where police refused to register complaints, attempted to weaken, or mediate out-of-court settlement in a heinous crime like sexual assault.

Inspector General Kunwar, however, claims that the police has adopted zero-tolerance policy in sexual violence cases. 

“This policy requires a prompt response from police chiefs who must report incidents to higher authorities within 12 hours,” he says. “Even senior officers are not exempt from consequences, as evidenced by the recent resignation of Senior Superintendent of Police Yog Bahadur Pal, who faced investigation for sexually abusing a junior female officer.”

Sharmila Paudel, under secretary at the Department of Health Services, stresses the importance of open discussions about sex in families to address the challenges faced by teenagers and children. 

“Suppressing, hiding, or settling cases without reporting to the police could lead to mental trauma for the victims,” she says.

Himalaya Airlines, a joint venture between Nepal and China, inaugurated the Kathmandu-Shanghai-Kathmandu flight on December 2. The first outbound flight, H9 780, departed from Tribhuvan International Airport at 09:50 hours (local time) and reached Shanghai Pudong International Airport, at 16:31 hours (local time), with a flight duration of 4 hours and 7 minutes. A total of 137 passengers along with an infant boarded the first flight.

The inaugural flight event was graced by the Xie Yu, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal as the chief guest along with Pratap Babu Tiwari, General Manager, Tribhuvan International Airport and with other dignitaries.Initially operating weekly flights on every Saturday effective December 02, 2023, the service will be increased to twice a week, on every Saturdays and Wednesdays, starting from December 20, 2023.

This historic event marked a significant milestone in Himalaya Airlines’ commitment to enhancing connectivity and promoting bilateral ties between Nepal and China, states the press release issued by the airline company. The new Kathmandu-Shanghai-Kathmandu route will offer passengers seamless travel options between the capital city of Nepal and the central coastal city of China, known for the country’s biggest city and a global financial hub. This direct link between the cities reflects Himalaya Airlines’ dedication in providing convenient, safe, and efficient travel, states the press release.

Vijay Shrestha, Vice-President of Himalaya Airlines said, “The longstanding aviation history shared by Nepal and China, spanning two decades since China initiated its inaugural passenger flights to Nepal. Over this extensive period, China has emerged as the leading contributor of airlines serving Nepal, with a total of six airlines from China operating alongside Himalaya Airlines.”

Tiwari congratulated Himalaya Airlines for the inaugural flight to Shanghai. “It is truly an exciting milestone for the airline and the airline’s commitment in providing outstanding service connecting passengers with new and diverse experience.” Tiwari wished the airlines all the success to spread their wings to new horizons and create more opportunities for travel and attract more Chinese Tourist to Nepal, connecting ties and relationship between the two nations. 

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the third review under the four‑year extended credit facility (ECF) for Nepal, allowing the authorities to withdraw the equivalent of $52.25m.  

This brings total disbursements under the ECF for budget support thus far to SDR $222.5m. Nepal has made good progress with the implementation of the program, which has helped mitigate the impact of the pandemic and global shocks on economic activity, protect vulnerable groups, and preserve macroeconomic and financial stability, says IMF in a press statement. 

The program is also helping to catalyze additional financing from Nepal’s development partners. Nepal’s post-pandemic rebound, fueled by a credit boom, ended last year as growth slowed markedly. Low domestic demand helped resolve external pressures but also deflated government revenue and led to a widening of the fiscal deficit despite expenditure control. 

Inflation is declining but remains high at 8.2 percent in September. Growth is expected to recover to 3.5 percent in FY 2023/24, which is below potential, led by increased domestic demand, new hydroelectric capacity, and a continued recovery in tourism. Risks are skewed to the downside. 

External sector risks dominate Nepal’s outlook given its high remittance income and dependence on imported goods. Domestically, further deterioration in bank balance sheets or lack of progress in addressing the deficiencies identified by the Asia Pacific Group of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) could create financial system stress. 

Bo Li, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, says Nepal has made important strides on its economic reform agenda. Decisive actions in monetary policy, bank regulation and rolling off covid support policies played a major role in overcoming urgent balance of payments pressure in FY 2021/22. He further said : “Reserves continue to rise without the need to use distortive import restrictions. Fiscal discipline was maintained in FY 2022/23 despite a large revenue shortfall.”

Bank supervision and regulation have improved with the rolling out of new supervisory information systems, the Working Capital Loan Guidelines and Asset Classification Regulations. Nepal’s medium-term outlook remains favorable as strategic investments in infrastructure, especially in the energy sector, are expected to support potential growth, he said. 

With growth below potential, boosting the execution of capital spending while maintaining fiscal discipline —growth friendly consolidation—is critical to provide much-needed stimulus to near-term economic growth and achieve investments that will underpin medium-term growth, he says. 

Maintaining momentum on governance reforms is critical to cementing recent gains in fiscal transparency. Further structural reforms, including to mobilize domestic revenue, strengthen public investment management and address fiscal risks, are needed to bolster medium term fiscal sustainability, he added.  “As monetary policy transmission appears weak in a context of balance sheet repair and inflation is elevated —though declining—maintaining the current cautious and data dependent monetary policy is appropriate to preserving price and external stability. 

He further says : “Improving the anti‑money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework and its effectiveness in line with international standards and peer evaluations is urgently needed to maintain smooth access to the global financial system. 

Reforms to implement the 2021 IMF Safeguards Assessment recommendations regarding the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Act and NRB audit are a priority. “Continued progress on the structural front is also needed to foster investment and more inclusive growth, he says,  “these include improving the business climate, building human capital, and continuing to improve social safety nets, in particular the coverage of the child grant program.”