In Brief:

• 157,050 women and girls affected in Rasuwa and Nuwakot
• Disaster toll: 500+ killed, nearly 1,000 missing, 10,000 homes destroyed
• Survivors face shortages of food, water, health and protection services
• Patricia Fernandez-Pacheco: 'Existing risks skyrocket when disasters hit'
• One in three women in affected districts is illiterate, limiting access to relief
• One-third of households in Bagmati headed by women, many reliant on remittances
• UN Women mobilising Community Kitchen initiative for food and livelihoods
• Agency has appealed for US$2 million to support women and girls at risk

KATHMANDU, AUGUST 30 Nearly 160,000 women and girls in Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been directly or indirectly affected by the devastating flash floods that struck Nepal on August 26, with UN Women warning that the disaster is exposing them to heightened risks of violence, exploitation and deprivation. An estimated 157,050 women and girls in the two districts have been affected, according to UN Women's first gender alert on the floods. The agency said the full scale of the disaster was still emerging, with more than 500 people killed, nearly 1,000 unaccounted for and about 10,000 homes washed away. The agency said survivors were facing severe shortages of food and water, along with disruptions to health and protection services. Such conditions can disproportionately affect women and girls, who often take on greater unpaid care responsibilities and face additional barriers in accessing relief and information. 'Existing risks for women and girls skyrocket when disasters hit,' UN Women Representative to Nepal Patricia Fernandez-Pacheco said, warning of increased risks of abuse, exploitation, hunger and lack of access to medicine. The gender alert noted that approximately one in three women across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan is illiterate, potentially making it harder for them to obtain information about relief efforts, complete registration processes and independently claim assistance. Economic vulnerability is another concern. One in three households in Bagmati Province is headed by a woman, and one-third of those households rely on remittances that are already under strain, according to UN Women. The agency said it was working with the government, UN agencies, women's rights organisations and humanitarian partners to ensure women and girls can access essential services, protection and recovery assistance. It is also mobilising resources for a women-led Community Kitchen initiative, intended to provide immediate food assistance while creating opportunities for women's leadership, livelihoods and longer-term recovery. UN Women has appealed for US$2 million to support women and girls affected by the floods, particularly those displaced or at heightened risk of violence, trafficking and exploitation.