KATHMANDU: The United Nations on Wednesday called for increased action and funding for sexual and reproductive health services as means for improved humanitarian effectiveness.

In her message on the occasion of the World Humanitarian Day, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative for Nepal, Giulia Vallese, said they are also necessary to tackle gender-based violence and meet a need to involve the affected populations in the response, particularly women and young people.

Vallese, meanwhile, used the opportunity to thank all involved in humanitarian assistance in Nepal, post April 25 earthquake.

"Today on World Humanitarian Day," the official said, "UNFPA pays tribute to all those who helped others in the districts affected by the earthquake in Nepal, against all odds and adversity."

"Providing relief supplies, organising life-saving reproductive health camps, distributing dignity kits and establishing female-friendly spaces in hard-to-reach areas while navigating through landslides, damaged highways and dirt roads as well as walking for days and sleeping in tents at times under very difficult conditions is no mean feat," the statement read, "We hail their hard work and fast actions, including the roles played by so many young people, to reach survivors who were in dire need of help."

The United Nations celebrates August 19 every year as the World Humanitarian Day as designated by its General Assembly to coincide with the anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq.