As #UNGA81 draws to a close, one message stands out: the decisions made today will shape the world children inherit tomorrow. Throughout the week, World Vision engaged with partners, policymakers and global leaders to help ensure children's rights, well-being and future opportunities remain at the heart of global discussions. We were encouraged by the commitment to tackling shared challenges and advancing solutions that can deliver lasting change for children and communities. The conversations may be ending, but the work continues. Together, we can help build a better future for every child. #ForChildren #ChildRights #UNGA81

PRESS RELEASE: One Month On: Nepal's Flood-Affected Children Still Carry the Weight of Loss A month after flash floods devastated Rasuwa and Nuwakot, World Vision International Nepal has reached more than 8,600 people-but children's safety, dignity and education remain urgent priorities as the response shifts from relief toward recovery. 26 September 2026, Kathmandu, Nepal- Children are the most vulnerable in any disaster. One month after glacier-triggered flash floods tore through Nepal's Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, children remain at the centre of a slow and difficult recovery. An estimated 22,000 children have endured- homes destroyed, routines shattered, and for many, the loss of family members, friends and classmates. According to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the disaster has claimed 1,451 lives, with 5,786 people, including 587 foreign tourists, still missing as of 20 September. Learning remains disrupted for 9,800 children across 32 schools in the worst-affected districts, 18 of which were fully or partially destroyed. The Education Cluster has documented 267 students, teachers and other school staff who remain missing in Rasuwa. Displacement, family separation and disrupted services have also heightened protection risks for children. “One month on, for many children in Nepal, the crisis is still not over,” said Roslyn Gabriel, National Director, World Vision International Nepal, “Children are trying to make sense of what they have lost. There are children who lost their homes, their schools and in some cases their loved ones.” “At this critical stage, children need more than food and shelter. They need safe spaces to heal from the trauma, protection from the heightened risks that come with displacement, access to clean water and sanitation, and the opportunity to return to learning and regain a sense of normalcy. These are essential to a child’s recovery and wellbeing,” she said A month of fear that hasn’t fully faded “The flood did not only wash away our homes, it took away our children’s sense of safety,” said Smita, a grandmother sheltering with her family in Nuwakot. “Even today, whenever there are safety announcements on floods, the children panic and prepare to run despite their parents reassuring them that the flood wouldn’t reach this center. The children cry and beg us to leave, convinced the river would overflow right up to here. Their minds are completely consumed by that fear.” Dignity denied - the hidden toll on adolescent girls Access to menstrual hygiene has emerged as one of the more overlooked struggles of displacement. Fourteen-year-old Prinsha and 17-year-old Suvekshya, both sheltering in evacuation centres, described the fear and indignity of managing their periods without basic supplies or privacy. “I was scared that my periods would come since I did not have sanitary napkins. My mother was praying that I don’t get my periods,” said Prinsha, 14. “Being displaced by the flood was frightening, but what made it even harder was managing my period without access to sanitary materials, clean clothing, or privacy. I was fortunate that a friend provided the supplies I needed,” said Suvekshya, 17. WVI Nepal's dignity kits- which include sanitary pads alongside soap, underwear and other essentials- have so far reached 489 women and girls, though the response's own field assessments confirm the need remains far greater. Income – the biggest worry of the parents “Our restaurant was our family’s only source of income. It allowed us to provide for our children’s education and meet their everyday needs. Now that we have lost it, I do not know how we will manage. More than anything, I worry about my children’s future,” said a mother of two, who lost her restaurant. For affected families, restoring livelihoods is an essential part of recovery. Without timely support, families may be forced to adopt negative coping strategies, including borrowing, selling remaining assets, and reducing food consumption. The impact can be particularly significant for children. Prolonged household food insecurity can increase risks related to malnutrition, interrupted education and child labour. World Vision International Nepal’s Response so far World Vision follows the One-Door Policy of the government in this disaster response, working through trusted local partners KIRDARC Nepal and Good Neighbours Nepal (GNN), ensuring compliance with national regulations. As of 20 September, WVI Nepal has reached 8,684 people, including 3,521 children and 258 people with disabilities 3,750 people have been assisted through 750 emergency 15-day food packages 116 children supported through 2 Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) 455 people (including 182 children) supported with shelter kits 2,325 people (including 930 children) provided with hygiene kits 555 women and girls provided and benefitted with dignity kits 395 people benefitting from 169 kitchen sets 860 people supported through 172 bedding sets 33,700 aqua tabs distributed for household water purification 50 water tanks (1000 L capacity each) and pipe sets provided Office equipment provided to 4 institutions (1 health post, 1 ward office and 2 municipality offices) in Rasuwa enabling them to restart essential services in Uttargaya and Gosainkunda Rural Municipalities of Rasuwa district. 3 volunteers mobilized to support local government in collecting detailed data on people staying in evacuation centres. Two 110 kVA stabilizers were handed over and installed for the Bidur Water Users' Committee in Bidur Municipality, contributing to the uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water for approximately 25,000 people, including 10,000 children. “This is a response of hope and it goes beyond these emergency supplies we’ve been able to provide,” says Roslyn Gabriel, National Director, World Vision International Nepal, “The most important part in our response is that we are present for the affected children and their families. They are heard, they are seen and that they are not alone. “Hope is not just a feeling. But hope has to be supported by action. For a child, hope is having their basic needs met, a safe place to sleep, a school to return to, and people who will stand beside them as they rebuild. That is what we want to help make possible,” she says, “Our partners on the ground also work extremely long hours in very challenging circumstances. Without their work we wouldn’t have been able to reach these many individuals on our own.” The road to recovery The three-month emergency relief period runs to 30 November focusing on emergency food assistance, access to clean water, shelter kits, non-food and hygiene kits, and child protection. After this, a 12-month early recovery phase will begin, focusing on livelihoods restoration, safe return to learning, shelter rehabilitation, restoring long term access to inclusive health, education and WASH facilities, and building stronger local child and woman protection systems. The response is funded through a US$4 million appeal-US$2 million for emergency relief and US$2 million for early recovery. To date, more than US$3.5 million has been confirmed through World Vision Support Offices and partner funding, including Australia's DFAT and New Zealand's MFAT, leaving a gap of approximately US$440,000. WVI Nepal thanks its local partners, KIRDARC Nepal and Good Neighbors Nepal, and the Government of Nepal, including NDRRMA and local authorities in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, for their coordination and leadership throughout the response. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes out to the donors and partners whose generosity has helped us bring immediate support for those most in need. For further information, contact: Uma Thapa Communication Manager World Vision International Nepal Email: [email protected] Notes for the editor: World Vision International (WVI) Nepal is a part of the World Vision International global partnership operating in around 100 countries. WVI started its long-term development program in Nepal in 2001 to contribute for the well-being of children. Today, WVI Nepal implements development programmes in 17 districts, supporting vulnerable children, families, and communities to build a better future. World Vision is a child-focused relief, development, and advocacy organization that has contributed to the transformation in the lives of millions of children around the world in vulnerable situations. WV aspires to achieve this through a partnership with local communities, civil societies, government, and private sectors where we believe in mutual participation and trust, shared vision and goal, accountability, and responsibility. We are child child-focused organization driven by Christian values to serve children and families regardless of their religion, age, gender, ethnicity, class, and caste.

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