Two months ago, when the 7.9 magnitude quake struck Nepal, the future of the country looked bleak. But the resulting confusion and chaos soon gave way to optimism as thousands of Nepali youths rushed to help the affected population. Even so, delays in relief work due to bureaucratic red tape persist and there are pertinent questions about the accountability of both government and donor agencies. The National Planning Commission released the Post- Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) last week, which finally gave the much-needed clarity about the way forward. It not only provided a robust policy framework but also listed areas that are in need of urgent support.
Yesterday, Nepal hosted the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction amid apprehensions surrounding the event. The fact that donors and friendly nations have now expressed desire to work with the PDNA framework is good news. But there is more to the conference than money pledged, which seems to have exceeded the government expectations. That the senior ministers from India, China, Japan, Norway, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka flew in to Kathmandu reflects the international goodwill Nepal enjoys.
Our immediate neighbours, India and China, have pledged $1billion and $760 million respectively. Japan—whose expertise in constructing quake-resistant infrastructure is unparalleled—has expressed interest in rebuilding schools and cultural heritage sites. It is also set to organise the second round of donor’s conference for Nepal. Going by their commitment to support reconstruction, Nepal should be able to realise its goal of ‘building back better’.
Yet there is some apprehension about whether all the pledges will materialise and whether the Nepal government will be able to put them to effective use. Successive governments have failed to spend allocated resources and there have been issues of corruption and political patronage networks sucking up much of the funds.
Another distinct narrative has emerged post-quake. International development agencies have also failed to convince Nepalis that a significant portion of their money reaches the affected populations, the intended beneficiaries. Many Nepalis have are under the impression that much of it wasted on paying expensive salaries for foreign experts and officials, which seriously undermines national expertise and institutions in the long run.
In addition to taking a serious look at the cost-benefit analysis of aid, there is a need to focus on the human side of disaster relief and reconstruction. It is important to note that women and children suffered most casualties in the quake; 56 percent of those who died in the quake were females. They are at greater risk of being exploited and becoming victims of gender-based violence during natural disasters. There are already reports of gullible children being abused, mistreated and transported away from home (including across the border to India) from the severely affected districts. Nepal not only has an enormous task ahead to build safer schools, better houses, robust energy infrastructure but also to build communities that are better prepared for future disasters.
28.12°C Kathmandu
