VOLUME A: Detailed Study of Poverty and Vulnerability in Four Earthquake-Affected Districts in Nepal: Gorkha, Dhading, Nuwakot and Rasuwa Nepal Development Research Institute September, 2017 Project Team Members Team Leader Prof. Dr. Punya P. Regmi Poverty and Vulnerability Expert (Deputy Team Leader) Dr. Nirmal Kumar B.K. Livelihood & Disaster Risk Reduction Expert Mr. Dhanej Thapa Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Expert Dr. Manjeshwori Singh Anthropology Expert Dr. Rabita Mulmi Shrestha Migration Expert Mr. Kabin Maharjan GIS Expert Ms Anita Khadka Design and Layout Copyright © 2017 All rights reserved Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) Web: http://www.ndri.org.np Acknowledgements This report “A Detailed Study of Poverty and Vulnerability in Four Earthquake-Affected Districts: Dhading, Gorkha, Nuwakot and Rasuwa” was prepared by Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Nepal Operations Center and Department for International Development (DFID), Nepal. On behalf of NDRI, I would like to express my gratitude to UNOPS for awarding us this important assignment. Similarly, I highly appreciate the support received from the entire DFID team, especially from Mr. Curtis Palmer, Team Leader Field Office and Ms Amita Thapa Magar, Field Officer, DFID for their persistent guidance in the study and critical comments and suggestions in the report. I extend my hearty gratitude to the field researchers for their dedicated efforts and for working in such challenging situations. The effective coordination facilitated by local agencies and DFID field officers during field work in the study districts was also praiseworthy, without which the field work would not have been possible. NDRI is very thankful to the respective municipalities of all four study districts and their respective Village Council Development Committee (VDC) officials for their participation in group discussions and key informant interviews, despite their hectic schedules. The entire study team is indebted to the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) and the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) for providing all the necessary data and information for this research. My great appreciation to Prof. Dr. Punya P Regmi, Team Leader, Dr. Nirmal Kumar BK, Deputy Team Leader, Dr. Manjeshwori Singh, GESI Expert, Dr. Rabita Mulmi, Anthropology Expert, Mr. Dhanej Thapa, Livelihood & Disaster Risk Reduction Expert, Mr Kabin Maharjan, Migration Expert, Ms Anita Khadka, GIS Expert, for their hard-working efforts. My thanks also go to Mr. Rajendra KC, Field Coordinator and other field staff. I am highly indebted to these individuals for their contributions in enabling the successful completion of this study. NDRI would also like to acknowledge Ms. Manisha Rayamajhi for her administrative and other logistical management throughout the project. Besides the upfront support from the project team members, I express my gratitude and appreciation towards all the staff members of NDRI who directly or indirectly contributed to the completion of this study. Last but not least, my earnest gratitude to all the respondents for their voluntary participation in providing the data and information used in this report. I do believe the affected communities will benefit greatly for their kind support and cooperation. Dr. Jaya Kumar Gurung Executive Director Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) ii Executive Summary This report presents the findings of the detailed study of poverty and vulnerability in four earthquake-affected districts: Dhading, Gorkha, Nuwakot and Rasuwa. A research team from Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) with the support of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the Department for International Development (DFID) Nepal completed this study. The team conducted this study from June to September 2017. This report has two volumes: volume one includes the part of report which discusses the study background and objectives, research methodology, district descriptions, and the qualitative analysis of the Leave No One Behind, gender and Do No Harm approaches in all districts. The Leave No One Behind analysis discusses the environmental, social and economic dimensions of exclusions. The gender analysis discusses the issues of women- headed households, intra-gender dimensions and gender friendly reconstruction. The Do No Harm Approach analysis discusses divider and connector activities in the course of reconstruction. Volume two includes separate mapping of vulnerability and poverty of each four districts. These maps include individual maps of each indicator, composite maps of each dimension and an overall vulnerability map for each district. This study has adopted a mixed method of research. For mapping, a vulnerability framework was developed based on IPCC (2012). It adopts the definition of vulnerability as a lack of resiliency of people, which is defined by IPCC and DFID. Following this definition, a vulnerability index was developed using indicators for environmental fragility, social vulnerability and economic vulnerability. The survey (2017) micro data of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) of household registration for housing reconstruction was used to quantify the indicators. UNDP (2007) methods were used to normalize each indicator data and prepare individual maps. Weightage to each indicator was given based on expert judgment with verification in the field to prepare the composite and overall vulnerability maps. The ranking of vulnerability of each VDC was done through quartile methods. Additionally, the qualitative methods of social science research were used to collect and analyse information regarding the Leave No One Behind, gender and Do No Harm approaches. This method included thirty Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with Janjati, Internally Displaced People (IDPs), Dalits, women-headed household, old aged people- headed households etc. Similarly, fifty Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were completed, including with the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), District Coordination Committee (DCC), Chief District Officer (CDO), District Agriculture Development Office (DADO), I/NGOs etc. Separate checklists for FGD and KII have been prepared, tested in the field and provided training to enumerators who collected information from the field. The map shows that the northern VDCs of each district are normally more vulnerable from environmental dimensions as they have a limited resiliency because of remoteness and availability of water resources. These VDCs are also vulnerable from economic dimensions. These VDCs have limited income opportunities, a high rate of poverty, and food insecurity. However, there is very limited data on landlessness in these parts. Similarly, the concentration of households of Dalits, women-headed households, old aged people-headed households, and illiteracy are found in the middle parts of the each district. However, a concentration of Janjatiis was found either in the north or south of each district. The Leave No One Behind analysis shows that the government house reconstruction process is very slow in progress. Still some Dalits, single women and people living in remote areas iii are excluded from the beneficiaries list because of ignorance and biasness of engineers, their current residence in fringe settlements and a lack of information sharing. A rough estimate shows that about 8-10 percent of households is outside of the reconstruction process and are not included. Similarly, progress in the first tranche of housing grants has been satisfactory but second and third tranche is being delayed with hurdles in the NRA design, limitations of manpower (skilled labour and household head), small amount of first tranche, a lengthy process, weak governance of government, etc. People living in remote parts, particularly in the northern parts of the districts, have a low level of resiliency. Reconstruction is very costly in these inaccessible areas because of a higher cost for processing the document required for grants; the cost of materials is very high due to limited availability of other resources such as water and timber. Social dimensions such as caste/ethnicity, age, disability, and literacy also play an important role in the participation of the reconstruction process. Poor Dalits are the major groups who are generally ignored in the process. Their settlements are in the outskirts of main villages, scattered, near the river, and other natural hazard-prone areas furthering their exclusion. In addition, poverty and entitlement to land issues are more prominent for them. Regarding Janjati, their communities are living in remote areas. There are also some language barriers in working with them. Additionally, in some areas, the housing designs of the government are not compatible with certain ethnic groups’cultural identity. Gatlang VDC of Rasuwa was popular as a black village due to black roof. Now, roof of temporary shelters are replaced with mixed colour of GI sheet roof. However, while reconstruction of private houses, it is important to keep in mind the preservation of cultural indentity of local community. Some households are still living in traditional land tenure with no formal ownership to land. Among the disadvantaged Janjati (Chepang, Kumal and Darai), Chepangs are excluded from the beneficiaries list because of a fault in verification, as most of them have timber houses. In addition, the restriction and availability