Five months after the devastating earthquake in Nepal, difficulties of affected people are gradually reducing. However, there is a long way before they recover completely.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme in Nepal supported the Government of Nepal’s Post-Disaster Needs Assessment initiative to determine the impacts of the devastating earthquake. It has also been supporting the government and working together with Shelter, WASH and Early Recovery cluster members in promoting safer building solutions and revitalizing traditional towns in the outskirts of Kathmandu Valley. UN-Habitat is leading the Recovery and Reconstruction Working Group along with International Organization of Migration to facilitate and harmonize the initiatives of partner organizations.

According to the government estimates, approximately 600,000 houses were destroyed and over 280,000 houses were partially damaged due to the earthquakes this year. One of the challenges now is to mobilize skilled people required to reconstruct and rebuild disaster resilient buildings and infrastructures particularly in the urban centers.

In this context, there is an urgent need to develop a strategy to build capacity of entrepreneurs and promotion of local construction materials and bring on-board the people with technical knowledge and skills in order to meet the huge demand for such skills during recovery and reconstruction phase.

Hence, we urge all stakeholders concerned to accelerate the process of reconstruction and also address the urgent needs of people to protect them from upcoming winter.