Karnali Province is located in the northwestern part of Nepal, bordering China in the north. It is Nepal’s largest and least developed province with remote districts. Despite poverty and infrastructural challenges, it is rich in natural beauty, biodiversity, and cultural heritage.
In Karnali Province, UMN aims to empower marginalised women, children, youth, and families through climate-resilient livelihoods, protection from harmful practices, access to quality education and mental health services, disability-inclusive environments, disaster risk reduction, and efforts to break cycles of poverty and discrimination.
Working districts in Karnali Province:
Mugu District
Rukum East District
Surkhet District
MUGU
At A Glance
UMN started working here in
1999
Working Areas
Mugum Karmarong (Population: 6,222)
Soru Rural Municipalities (Population: 14,277)
Local Partner Organisations
Gramin Samudaik Sanstha (GSS)
Karani Community Development Centre (KCDC)
RUKUM EAST
At A Glance
UMN started working here in
2006
Working Areas
Bhume (Population: 19,829)
Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality (Population: 18,308)
Local Partner Organisations
Nepal Magar Society Service and Information Center
Nepal Public Awakening Forum
SURKHET
At A Glance
UMN started working here in
2026
Working Areas
Birendranagar Municipality (Population: 153,863)
Panchapuri Municipality (Population: 35,839)
Barahatal Rural Municipality (Population: 25,943)
Chaukune Rural Municipality (Population: 26,950)
Local Partner Organisation
Interdependent Society Surkhet
Key Issues
- Poverty and unsustainable livelihoods.
- Limited access to quality education, ineffective school governance and teacher-student absenteeism.
- Perpetuation of harmful traditional practices, including early marriage, gender-based discrimination and drug and substance abuse among youths.
- Inadequate healthcare services and facilities, poor WASH practices, low levels of governance.
- Vulnerability to climate change and loss of biodiversity.
Current Projects
- ABLE
- HFT
- CBIM CAD
- DREAM
- MUST
- Mugu Integrated Project
- Mugu Dalit Girls
- MLE
- ProAct
- SEED II
- Seeds of Change
- SEEP
- UpLift
- CARE
