Women are often more vulnerable
in traditional communities during emergencies. Men are more vocal, and are
listened to more. They are stronger, and able to walk further and carry heavier
loads of supplies. Where there are food distribution lines, women are often
shoved to the back.

Women who are pregnant, or have
a disability face particular difficulties. United Nations Population Fund has put together
“Dignity Kits” and “Safe Birth Kits” to assist women.
Dignity Kits contain some basic clothing and underwear, personal hygiene items
like soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, comb and nail cutters, and practical
things like a torch with batteries. These are the kinds of things men would
often not think of, but are very important to women who have lost everything.

With health posts destroyed or
non-functioning, pregnant women face having to give birth without the support
of trained birth attendants or the security of a birthing centre. So Safe Birth
Kits containing plastic and cotton sheets, a sterile blade, dressings and
string, soap and clean cloths, are essential.

A Clean Birth Kit for Health
Workers has also been received, along with 8600 male condoms and oral and
injectable contraceptives.

UMN has received 450 Safe Birth
Kits and 100 Dignity Kits from UNFPA, and will prioritise pregnant women and women with
disabilities when distributing these. Health Team members Nalome Rongong and
Anu Gomanju have been busy packing these ready for transportation to Dhading
district. They estimate that there are about 422 pregnant women in the seven
VDCs for which UMN is responsible.