Published: November 14, 2017

This is the third of a series of quarterly reports from the Nepal Peace Monitoring Project (PMP). The PMP uses a methodology similar to NepalMonitor.org’s alert and mapping system, with a focus on gathering information on violence and political contestation. The PMP’s goal is to improve our understanding of violence in Nepal to better respond to it and promote peace.

Summary:

On September 18, the third phase of local level elections was held in Province 2. With 52 incidents recorded, the number of election-related violence and protests in this third phase was significantly lower than during the previous two phases (held in May and June), although election-related incidents saw a small uptick at the end of August and in September as parties began campaigning.

The third quarter of 2017 also saw an overall decline in incidents by 37 percent compared to the previous quarter, mostly due to the decline in election-related violence (overall 682 incidents were recorded – 489 of them violent and 193 nonviolent). Fatalities due to violence, however, increased by 24 percent to 118 deaths in this quarter. As in the past, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and conflicts of a personal nature remained the leading causes for violent deaths in Nepal (with GBV and personal disputes causing 41 percent and 18 percent of violent incidents and 37 percent and 31 percent of violent deaths respectively). Both types of violence saw an increase in quarter three. Torrential rains in August led to floods and landslides affecting large parts of the population across the Tarai. PMP recorded sporadic protests against insufficient or unfair relief distribution.