Illegal female infanticide on rise in Kalikot

Determination of the sex of a fetus and abortion based on the results are illegal in Nepal. Both the person conducting the test and the one requesting it can face legal action.

By Lalit Bista
April 19, 2025

KALIKOT: Determination of the sex of a fetus and abortion based on the results are illegal in Nepal. Both the person conducting the test and the one requesting it can face legal action.

However, a 28-year-old woman from Khadachakra Municipality in Kalikot recently underwent an abortion for the second time, just a week ago. She chose to terminate the pregnancy after discovering she was carrying a daughter again.

Continued: https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/illegal-female-infanticide-on-rise-in-kalikot-41-19.html

19.04.2025

News

Dr. Subhanarayan Thakur

female infanticide

sex selection abortion

Right wing policies threaten gender equality and health security

Young people call for all sexual and reproductive health services including safe abortion rights

SHOBHA SHUKLA – CNS
08 Feb 2025

Donald Trump’s presidency is likely to have far-reaching consequences for sexual and reproductive health, bodily autonomy and human rights worldwide. He has already withdrawn USA’s financial support to the UN health agency World Health Organization (WHO), and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer share its invaluable expertise with the WHO.

Also all ongoing (as well as future) projects funded by US Agency for International Development (USAID) have been put on immediate hold. Many of these are lifesaving health programmes, including those directly related to sexual and reproductive health services.

Continued: https://kashmirtimes.com/opinion/comment-articles/right-wing-policies-threaten-gender-equality-and-health-security

‘Nepal advances in SRHR but needs more investment’

By Samiksha Shrestha
January 29, 2025

Dr. Anu Kumar, president and CEO of Ipas, an international NGO advancing reproductive justice, visited Nepal last week. Ipas Nepal focuses on improving sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and adolescents through access to safe abortion, contraception and gender-based violence prevention. An internationally recognized advocate for women’s rights, Dr. Kumar holds advanced degrees in public health and anthropology. During her visit, she met with government officials and members of the diplomatic community to discuss Nepal’s health system, which receives only 4.6% of the national budget—far below the WHO-recommended 10%. Republica’s Correspondent, Samiksha Shrestha, interviewed Dr. Kumar, covering issues surrounding sexual and reproductive health in Nepal. Excerpts:

Continued: https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/amp/news/nepal-advances-in-srhr-but-needs-more-investment-79-56.html

29.01.2025

Nepal – Access denied: Unsafe abortion continues despite legalisation 22 years ago

Ten percent of women are denied abortion services, and 42 percent with pregnancies beyond 10 weeks are turned away, new report says.

Arjun Poudel
November 29, 2024

Although abortion was legalised in Nepal in 2002, unsafe abortions are still rampant in many places throughout the country, and women are denied services, a new report shows.

According to the report prepared by Center for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA), and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), one in 10 women seeking abortions at health facilities was denied care.

Moreover, four in 10 women (42 percent) with more than 10 weeks of pregnancy or who were unaware of their gestational age were denied an abortion.

Continued: https://kathmandupost.com/health/2024/11/29/access-denied-unsafe-abortion-continues-despite-legalisation-22-years-ago

29.11.2024

News

barriers to access

Center for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities

In Nepal, aid cuts and Trump presidency threaten safe abortion gains

Dwindling aid and the global gag rule have shut down family planning clinics across Nepal. Experts fear a second Trump presidency could further restrict access to safe abortion and other services.

By Catherine Davison
04 November 2024

Gains made in Nepal on lowering maternal deaths from unsafe abortion stand to be undone by a drastic drop in interest from international donors, experts have warned — and a Donald Trump return to the White House could make things worse.

Nepal’s remote and mountainous topography remains a barrier to accessing health care, but huge strides have been made in recent years toward lowering maternal deaths from unsafe abortion. After legalizing abortion in 2002, the maternal mortality ratio dropped from 539 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1996 to 151 in 2021, and the severity of complications from unsafe abortions significantly reduced during that period.

Continued: https://www.devex.com/news/in-nepal-aid-cuts-and-trump-presidency-threaten-safe-abortion-gains-108697

04.11.2024

maternal mortality ratio

U.S. Agency for International Development

‘One-man anti-abortion army’: shadow of US global gag rule looms over Nepal’s family planning services

Since the country legalised abortion, maternal mortality rates have plummeted. But US-funded programmes and a Trump victory could reverse that progress, warn experts

Pete Pattisson in Beni
Mon 21 Oct 2024

“One, two, three,” says Soman Rai slowly, to the click of his fingers. “Every three seconds a baby dies by abortion. One, two, three,” he repeats. Behind him, the word “Abortion” is projected on to a screen in a red font that drips down the slide to resemble blood. Underneath is written: Abortion is world history’s greatest genocide.

It is an uncompromising message in an unlikely location; a church in a remote valley in Nepal.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/oct/21/anti-abortion-us-global-gag-rule-nepal-family-planning-services

District hospitals struggle with budget cuts for family planning programmes

Experts warn funding shortfall could trigger a rise in unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal and child deaths.

Arjun Poudel
July 23, 2024

District hospitals across the country lack the budget to provide family planning programmes, as the government has not allocated any funds to continue them for the current fiscal year.

Officials at the Ministry of Health and Population said they have already alerted relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, about the budget cut, warning of serious repercussions including a rise in unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, higher maternal and child mortality rates, among others.

Continued: https://kathmandupost.com/health/2024/07/23/district-hospitals-struggle-with-budget-cuts-for-family-planning-programmes

23.07.2024

News

Dr Prakash Dev Panta

family planning programmes

Sarmila Dahal

UNFPA

United Nations Population Fund

Transforming abortion stigma in Nepal: One provider’s story

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2024

Amid the towering Himalayas in Nepal, attitudes about abortion have been changing. In 2002, abortion went from being criminalized to being legal for any reason up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. Since then, access has only expanded.

Dr. Deeb Shrestha Dango, a dedicated OB-GYN and head of health systems and policy for Ipas Nepal, has stood at the forefront of this transformation. Navigating a shifting landscape of abortion rights and stigma, she has fought to expand abortion access in Nepal for over twenty years.

Continued: https://www.ipas.org/news/transforming-abortion-stigma-in-nepal-one-providers-story/

25.03.2024

Commentary

abortion stigma

abortion values clarification for action and transformation

Dr. Deeb Shrestha Dango

Nepal – Unsafe Abortion: A Silent Threat to Women’s Health

Pawan Mudbhari
December 26, 2023

KATHMANDU: It has been observed that issues such as disturbances in women’s periods, lower abdominal pain, white discharge, uterine infection, and infertility are on the rise.

Women in urban areas, accustomed to regular checkups, can openly discuss their problems and receive timely treatment. However, the scenario is drastically different for rural women, resulting in delayed treatments and, tragically, some losing their lives.

Continued: https://english.khabarhub.com/2023/26/332289/

26.12.2023

Nepal – Contraceptives shortage looms

Government cites lack of funds. Fears of unsafe abortions, increase in maternal deaths.

Arjun Poudel
September 25, 2023

Health facilities nationwide could soon run out of contraceptives such as condoms, pills, implants and emergency pills as the Ministry of Health and Population lacks funds to procure them.

Officials blamed the reduction in the health budget as the main reason for their inability to purchase essential contraceptives to be distributed from health care facilities. A possible shortage of the items will eventually cause multiple problems including a rise in unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths.

Continued: https://kathmandupost.com/health/2023/09/25/contraceptives-shortage-looms

25.09.2023