Impact and Resilience in COVID-19 Pandemic – Analysis of Dalit Communities in Nepal

The COVID-19 pandemic had tremendously shifted the life in the world as we know it. While
it was found first in Wuhan province of China, it has effected all the countries around the world
and Nepal is not an exception. On the day of revision of this report 2025 deaths have occurred
and 270,275 people have been infected in Nepal.

The COVID-19 pandemic will undeniably test the capacity for crisis mitigation and the response
of governments and will potentially ravage every society. We are concerned, however, of countries and communities where overt caste and descent-based discriminations are present and where economic capacities and social capitals are fragile, making them more vulnerable to the impact of the outbreak, and possibly exacerbating existing discrimination in distributing immediate relief.

All efforts must be expedited to contain the pandemic and find durable solutions to this common problem. An inclusive approach will allow immediate relief to reach the most vulnerable Dalit
communities and can provide an opportunity to address the issues and coordination for an emergency response without further delay. Resources must be directed preventing further damage to those who have already in deprived conditions. In line with this aim, States and other relief providers must ensure that human rights and social justice are at the heart of their response.