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As Donald Trump prepares for his second, non-consecutive term as President of the United States, there is significant attention on how his administration’s policies will impact immigrants, Nepali Americans and the broader US-Nepal relationship. 

In this changing landscape, initiatives like the United Nepali Political Action Committee (UNPAC), AMN-USA Media and Healing Together are stepping forward to address critical needs and provide resources to underserved communities. 

So, what lies ahead for immigrants? The Trump administration’s approach to immigration has historically been restrictive, and similar policies are expected in his second term: 

Work visas and family immigration: Stricter policies on H-1B visas and family-based immigration pathways could significantly impact Nepali professionals and families. 

Refugee and asylum policies: Reduced refugee quotas may hinder opportunities for Nepali and Southeast Asian refugees seeking resettlement. 

Support for undocumented immigrants: Programs like DACA remain at risk, leaving undocumented Nepali students and workers in uncertain situations. 

Organizations like UNPAC, a non-partisan platform advocating for the Nepali diaspora, are critical in ensuring that these voices are represented in national policy-making. 

Impact on Nepali Americans: The Nepali American community is resilient, but the challenges ahead will require focused efforts in key areas: 

Representation and awareness: The newly-launched AMN-USA Media is working to connect and empower the Nepali diaspora through news, entertainment and cultural programming. By amplifying their stories and addressing their concerns, AMN-USA seeks to foster a united and informed community. 

Mental health and community services: Healing Together, an initiative founded by a disabled veteran and a Nepali American professional, provides mental health and emotional well-being services tailored to Nepali speakers and Southeast Asian communities. 

This initiative is especially critical for immigrants facing cultural transitions, trauma and stress. Healing Together aims to bridge the gap in culturally appropriate mental health services and create a safe space for those in need. 

Civic engagement: Nepali Americans are becoming increasingly involved in US politics, and through platforms like UNPAC, they can continue advocating for equitable policies that address immigration, education and economic opportunities. 

Nepal and the United States have enjoyed a strong relationship centered on economic aid, education, and cultural exchange. Under Trump’s leadership, the bilateral relationship could evolve in several ways: 

Strategic positioning: Nepal’s location between India and China makes it a valuable partner in the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy. Programs like the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact may see renewed focus. 

Trade and investment: Nepal could benefit from increased trade opportunities, especially in tourism and export industries, provided it navigates geopolitical challenges effectively. 

Community support abroad: US immigration policies will impact Nepalese citizens seeking education, employment or settlement. Efforts like Healing Together will play a crucial role in supporting Nepali immigrants, addressing their mental health needs and helping them integrate into US society. 

Cultural exchange and collaboration: Platforms like AMN-USA Media can strengthen cultural ties between the US and Nepal, fostering greater understanding and cooperation. 

Conclusion 

Donald Trump’s second term brings both challenges and opportunities for immigrants, Nepali Americans and Nepal. While restrictive immigration policies may pose difficulties, initiatives like UNPAC, AMN-USA Media and Healing Together provide hope, resources and a sense of unity for the community. 

Nepali Americans have the tools to rise above these challenges by engaging civically, advocating for equitable policies and supporting one another. For Nepal, this is a critical moment to strengthen ties with the US in areas like trade, mental health and strategic partnerships. Together, these efforts can create a brighter future for the Nepali diaspora and the relationship between the two nations.

In any given year, there are very few occasions to talk about volunteerism, about the “duty to serve”. These are topics that should be truly embedded in our lives and should be seen as one of the main focuses of our daily conversations.

Considering the staggering and mounting problems societies around the world are facing, it is not an exaggeration to imagine citizens to be driven by their own lives’ goals but also engaged in the pursuit of the common good.

As idyllic as it might sound, it should not be unthinkable to foster a sense of community belonging in which volunteering and serving others become a natural thing to do, a sort of duty that is not a burden but a personal relief that gives people joy and satisfaction.

Instead, there is a dearth of celebrations for a “holistic giving culture”, barring a few exceptions like the International Volunteer Day (Dec 5) and the Nelson Mandela International Day (July 18).

July 18 is another call for action to remember the contributions of Mandela, the father of modern, free and democratic South Africa often referred to as Madiba—his clan name.

There is another special occasion that is normally celebrated only in the USA on the third Monday of each January: Martin Luther King Day or MLK Day. Martin Luther King Jr was the quintessential icon of the civil rights movement, who fought against segregation and a racial system that basically was a form of apartheid. Both Madiba and Martin Luther King Jr picked tough battles against political systems at a very high personal cost.

These were against apparently insurmountable roadblocks, structures of power which, by design, were alienating and discriminating against large parts of populations living in their respective nations that, in both cases, happened to be people of color.

Madiba initially had chosen to take a violent path against the white supremacist regime of South Africa but years and years of detention made him understand that the only way forward was peace obtained through dialogue and reconciliation.

Martin Luther King Jr instead was crystal clear from the outset about the changes he and with him, many others, were envisioning for a different, more just and truly united America, could materialize only through nonviolent civil disobedience. Driven by his Christian faith, King Jr said, on 19 Aug 1967, in Atlanta, “power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”

In one of his most important public addresses titled ‘Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution’, delivered at Morehouse College Commencement, on 31 March 1968, King Jr shared: “It is no longer a choice, my friends, between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence”.

“Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love,” he said during his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance address on 10 Dec 1964, in Oslo.

King Jr knew deeply that nonviolence and peaceful resistance were the only methods which could have resulted in a better, more human nation.

Violence would have brought only more blood and with it, an unending cycle of revenges and retribution. King Jr invested in building a real organized movement because creating a more equal society was not just his job. Rather, it was a collective effort of a myriad of citizens, including numerous white Americans, who stood for justice and against bigotism, racism and hatred.

King Jr and many others, who even laid their lives for the societal changes they were envisioning, had realized that those changes could only materialize with a dedication at building people’s skills, starting with principles and values-based leadership.

There are many definitions of leadership but to me what counts the most is that leadership starts with personal endeavors, with a personal commitment at trying to be better not just for self-improvement but also for the enhancement of the society.

One of the most famous quotes of King Jr that has been one of the central messages of MLK Day since its initial nationwide observance in 1986 was: Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.

To serve others, you need to be driven by unassailable and universal principles and values and by doing something for others, you will always end up learning something, enhancing your leadership capabilities.

“You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love,” is another nugget of wisdom from King Jr.

It is indeed paramount to think about embedding our society with a culture of service, a culture of helping each other.

The concept of “duty to serve” could be imagined as a call for action in which people are neither compelled nor obligated to help others but make a personal choice to dedicate some of their time, skills and energies to the society.

State agencies in Nepal and elsewhere should facilitate and make it possible for citizens from all walks of lives to be involved and be engaged in public lives, driven not by a spirit of self-interest but by altruistic aims. Volunteerism, unfortunately, is too often discounted and neglected. Nepal is also a striking example and itself a contradiction.

The country has high social capital but state agencies are not doing enough to capitalize on it. By the way, what happened to the draft National Volunteering Policy that was supposed to be endorsed years ago?

With or without such a policy, it is never late to talk about volunteerism and service and it is never a lost cause to talk about ways to promote them.

MLK Day is a federal holiday in the USA; it should be embraced universally.

And let’s not forget that we cannot avoid talking about key and inalienable rights when we talk about volunteerism.

Certainly, you can also volunteer in authoritarian regimes and many of these nations do promote volunteering and yet, theirs is just a very convenient and disingenuous approach.

Because what’s the point of genuinely serving others if you do not have freedoms and your rights are not respected?

That’s what King Jr fought for, let’s not forget it.

Recent reports of a Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in China have triggered global concerns, with echoes of the early Covid-19 pandemic raising speculation about a potential health emergency. However, HMPV is not a new or mysterious virus. It has been well-documented for decades as a significant cause of respiratory illness in children, elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

Identified in 2001 at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, HMPV was initially isolated from children with respiratory illnesses. Published in Nature Medicine, this study indicated all Dutch children were exposed to HMPV by the age of five. Retrospective analyses, however, suggest HMPV has been circulating in humans for 50 years.

HMPV belongs to the Pneumoviridae family along with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the Metapneumovirus genus. This enveloped, single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus has two genetic lineages, A and B, further divided into six sublineages: A1, A2.1, A2.2.1, A2.2.2, B1 and B2. Emerging sublineages A2.2.1 and A2.2.2, were recently identified in pediatric respiratory infections in South India, as reported by the International Society of Infectious Diseases in 2025.

A Virology Journal 2009 genetic study by Vanderbilt University suggests HMPV diverged from Avian Metapneumovirus 200–400 years ago via zoonotic spillover from an avian reservoir, with phylogenetic evidence indicating a spillover event around 200 years ago, emphasizing HMPV’s long-standing presence in human populations.

Symptoms, risk groups and treatment

HMPV is a common etiological agent of respiratory tract infections, affecting infants, children under 15, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Nearly all children are exposed by age five, with reinfections occurring throughout life. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it spreads via respiratory droplets, close contact, or contaminated surfaces, similar to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, with an incubation period of 3–6 days. Symptoms vary from mild cough, nasal congestion, fever, and breath shortness to severe pneumonia, bronchiolitis, asthma exacerbations, especially in high-risk groups.

Infants and young children are prone to severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia. The elderly, often with comorbidities like asthma, may experience complications. Immunocompromised individuals face prolonged or severe illness, and pregnant women are at risk of respiratory complications that could affect both maternal and fetal health.

No specific antiviral treatment or vaccine exists for HMPV. Management relies on supportive care, supplemental oxygen, antipyretics and intravenous hydration when needed.

Seasonal outbreaks

HMPV is a seasonal respiratory virus, primarily circulating during late winter and early spring in temperate regions, similar to influenza and RSV. Recent reports of increased cases in China and parts of Asia align with this seasonal pattern. US CDC data also highlight annual outbreaks during these months, influenced by climatic conditions.

Despite comparisons to the Covid-19 pandemic, HMPV is not a novel virus. Identified over two decades back, it has been extensively studied, with over 300 PubMed scientific articles available. While it causes localized outbreaks, its transmission dynamics and clinical severity do not indicate pandemic potential. For instance, HMPV was the predominant virus during the 2002–2003 winter in Norwegian children hospitalized for respiratory infections, as reported in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. Severe pneumonia occurred in some cases, but widespread outbreaks have remained limited to specific populations.

HMPV outbreaks have been documented globally, including Israel (2003), Japan (2003–2004), South Africa (2009-2013), Nicaragua (2011-2016), Western Sydney (2018), South Korea (2022), India (2022), China (2017-2023) and various regions. In Pakistan, HMPV accounted for 5–7 percent of pneumonia admissions in children at Aga Khan University Hospital (2009–2012). HMPV causes 5–10 percent of pediatric acute respiratory infections (ARIs) hospitalizations and is the second most common viral pathogen in certain settings. ARIs are a major global public health problem, causing significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in children.

A 2019 study at Nepal’s Kanti Children’s Hospital revealed a prevalence of 13 percent among children with ARIs, with infections more frequent in those under three years old (22 percent). Symptoms like cough and fever were universally observed.

Besides, data from Nepal’s Sarlahi district (2011–2014) detected HMPV in five percent of infants, identifying three genotypes (A2, B1, B2). A recent Chinese CDC analysis ranked HMPV second among 11 respiratory viruses affecting children under 15 years, with a positivity rate of 6.2 percent in influenza-like illness.

These findings reflect a seasonal uptick, not an unprecedented surge. Factors like colder weather and increased indoor crowding contribute to HMPV’s seasonal prevalence.

Covid-19 lessons

The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of preparedness, evidence-based communication and robust public health strategies in managing infectious disease outbreaks. While HMPV does not pose the same threat as Covid-19, its current attention emphasizes the need to apply these lessons. Strengthened surveillance systems are essential for early detection, while public education can counter misinformation, reduce anxiety and encourage preventive behaviors. Investment in research on HMPV’s pathogenesis, treatments and vaccine development is key to mitigating its long-term impacts and bolstering public health resilience.

Precautions

The rise in HMPV cases in China and India warrants vigilance but not alarm. Vulnerable populations—infants, rural children, immunocompromised individuals—are particularly at risk, in regions with limited healthcare resources like Nepal. Preventive measures, supportive care and community-driven initiatives are critical to minimizing HMPV’s burden.

Between 2011 and 2014, HMPV infections in rural southern Nepal were associated with adverse outcomes, including an increased risk of small-for-gestational-age births in pregnant women. Interventions targeting febrile respiratory illness in pregnancy could improve maternal and neonatal health in resource-limited settings.

Hygiene practices, regular handwashing and respiratory etiquette, alongside isolation during illness, can reduce HMPV transmission. Enhanced diagnostic capabilities and heightened awareness will support disease management and safeguard at-risk groups.

Policymakers, healthcare providers and community leaders must collaborate to strengthen surveillance systems, improve diagnostics and develop effective preventive strategies. Public health messaging should prioritize education and reassurance, focusing on practical actions to protect vulnerable populations. By taking informed and measured steps, HMPV’s impact can be effectively mitigated, fostering resilience against future viral outbreaks.

The author is a researcher with a PhD degree at Nexus Institute of Research and Innovation

Gender equality has become a challenge in Nepal due to several sociocultural factors. Adhikari R and Sharma J (2022) write in European Bulletin of Himalayan Resource that (in Nepal), women are stereotypically represented as vulnerable, uneducated, or less educated Third World women. The social and political system of Nepal dominated by a patriarchal structure and rooted caste-based hierarchy system has a crucial role in this. Harmful traditional practices (HTPs) such as Chhaupadi, caste-based discrimination, witchcraft accusations, child marriage, dowry and persecution are root causes behind domestic violence and gender inequality.

The United Nations (UN) and the Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC) define gender as the set of characteristics, social roles, responsibilities, power relations, identities and behavior patterns that distinguish women from men, which are constructed socially and culturally. Sex refers to the biological and physiological differences between males, females and intersex (reproductive differences based on genitalia, chromosomes and hormones) as determined by nature. It is universal and unchangeable. In short, sex refers to biological, born with, not changeable, and gender refers to socially constructed, not born with, changeable.

The International Organization for Migration states that, in Nepal only 22.9 percent of working-age women are in some form of employment compared to 48 percent of men. A UN Women report states that in 2021, only 13 percent of women were in managerial positions in Nepal whereas 22.9 percent of working-age women were engaged in minimum level of employment in comparison with men (employed at 48 percent). It states further that one-third of girls are still married before 18, and the highest rate of polygynous marriage is found in Bagmati Province (at 3.7 percent). 

Nepal Police records for the year 2020-21 show that 4222 men committed suicide compared to 2919 women, probably pointing toward the effect of toxic masculinity and social pressure.

It’s been 23 years since Nepal signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (UN CEDAW), but gender equality is still a far cry in the country, notwithstanding some improvements at the institutional level. For example, the Constitution of Nepal 2015 has inclusion as a key feature. Formulation and implementation of other relevant acts and policies has increased women’s representation in the parliament to nearly 40 percent. 

There are two primary aspects to gender equality: a) human right or institutional perspective b) social or religious perspective. 

The social-religious perspective is more relative and contextual as it influences the entire society and institutions to build a system to be continued for development as a process. 

The Global Gender Gap Report 2024 from the World Economic Forum reveals that Iceland, Finland and Norway are the top three countries in terms of gender equality, each achieving a score exceeding 87 percent. This improvement is primarily attributed to a positive shift in the personal attitudes and behaviours of individuals, particularly among men toward women; however, the percentage of women in political representation remains around 44-46 percent. According to this report, Rwanda is in the 39th position with women making up 63.8 percent of parliamentary representatives (55 percent of cabinet members are women) and four out of seven judges in the Supreme Court are women. Nepal ranks 117th out of 146 countries in gender equality with a gender inequality index score of 0.661.

This shows that measures like formulation of policies and inclusion of women in top leadership positions roles may not be enough to ensure meaningful inclusion and equality in society. In the pursuit of inclusion, many countries exhibit tokenism driven by superficial advocacy and promotional efforts. In reality, true inclusion and equality stem from recognizing the inherent worth and resilience of every individual while embracing diversity with an open mind and a genuine commitment to education that translates knowledge into meaningful action.
In order to transform a patriarchal society into a gender-equal society, we must begin by giving boys and girls equal rights in ancestral property apart from empowering women with targeted programs and ensuring balance in power dynamics through affirmative actions for proportionate inclusion and meaningful participation of every woman in the system and structures.

The author is a Disability Inclusion Advisor at the United Mission to Nepal