BY NAVEENSANCHAR ONLINE

Kathmandu, Nepal

The Australian Government has announced humanitarian funding of
AUD600,000 (approximately NPR 5.09 crore) to respond to the emergency
needs of victims of the recent earthquake in western Nepal.
The new funding will enable Australia’s established partners working on-the-
ground in the earthquake affected districts to respond to emerging
humanitarian needs.
Australian funding will contribute to cash for work activities through World
Food Programme in affected communities. It will provide life-saving protection
and assistance such as psychosocial support and access to reproductive
health and gender-based violence response services, through UNFPA. The
funding will also support early reconstruction to restore damaged public
infrastructure, including health facilities, through Human Development
Communities Services.
The Australian Ambassador to Nepal, HE Felicity Volk, said, “I am deeply
saddened by the loss of lives and damage to property in the west Nepal
earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. Australia and Nepal have a long-
standing friendship and a history of supporting each other during times of
crisis including in the 2015 earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic. Our
humanitarian funding for the most recent earthquake response will help meet
the urgent needs of impacted communities, including preparing for winter.”
This support is in addition to prepositioned supplies such as dignity and
adolescent kits distributed through UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Nepal to 10,
000 women and girls. Australia has also supported the distribution of
reproductive health kits to key facilities to support safe deliveries, treatment of
pregnancy complications and other services to respond to the needs of an
estimated population of 60,000.