LGBTQI+ young people in Nepal have been grappling with alarming levels of mental health challenges, a new report by Save the Children shows.

According to a recent report entitled “Healing the Rainbow; Bridging Mental Health Gaps for LGBTQI+ Children and Youth in Nepal and Bhutan,” around 43 percent of LGBTQI+ children and youth in Nepal and nearly 77 percent in Bhutan reported experiencing anxiety or depression within the past two weeks.

Over two-thirds of LGBTQI+ youth in both countries have never accessed formal mental health services due to stigma, discrimination, and a lack of LGBTQI+-affirming care providers, as well as fears regarding privacy breaches. Transgender and non-binary youth in Nepal, in particular, reported the highest levels of mental health distress, with societal prejudice and economic vulnerability cited as major stressors.

“This report serves as a wake-up call,” said Ayush Shrestha Joshi, director of Advocacy for Save the Children–Nepal and Bhutan. “The research reveals that even within the LGBTQI+ community, certain groups—such as lesbian and bisexual women, transgender men, and intersex individuals—are particularly marginalised and often face additional barriers to accessing mental health support.”

The study found that over 55 percent of LGBTQI+ youth in Nepal reported economic difficulties as a primary reason for not seeking mental health care. Moreover, 38.8 percent of LGBTQI+ individuals in Nepal and 25 percent in Bhutan said they faced discrimination from healthcare professionals due to their identity.

“Many doctors don’t understand our issues and are unfamiliar with the LGBTQ community,” a respondent complained. “When they don’t understand us, it feels like they are judging us. For some, the cost is also an issue, especially for middle-class people. Others are too shy or reluctant to go because they don’t want to reveal their identity.”

Additionally, most respondents stated that mental health professionals often lack adequate training on LGBTQI+ identities, leaving young people to “educate” their therapists before receiving support.

The report calls for a review of national mental health policies to integrate the experiences and needs of LGBTQI+ individuals. It also advocates for the implementation of LGBTQI+-affirming training for mental health professionals to ensure that services are free from stigma and discrimination. Additionally, the report stresses the need to expand LGBTQI+ mental health services and explore economically viable options such as community-based mental health support, peer-to-peer networks, and telehealth services to reach rural LGBTQI+ youth.

The research was conducted by Save the Children in collaboration with Blue Diamond Society Nepal, Pride Bhutan, and Queer Voices of Bhutan.