Social Work Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nepal: Current Practices and Future Considerations

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the findings of a small qualitative study focusing on two virtual discussions facilitated by the Social Workers’ Association Nepal (SWAN) in May and June 2020 and follow-up interviews conducted with the participants during June 2020. The aim of these discussions and follow-up interviews was to examine the role of social workers in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. Seven social work practitioners (including Master’s of Social Work graduates (n = 3), PhD student (n = 1), and social work practitioners (n = 3)) from across the country participated as invited speakers in the sessions with approximately 500 Nepalese social workers engaged as voluntary participants. Based on these discussions, a process of thematic analysis was utilized, where a series of findings emerged that gave consideration to the role of social workers in assisting Nepalese civil society in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings centered upon nationwide action including: emergency responses, relief goods coordination and distribution, quarantine management, psychosocial support, and infodemic management administered by social work practitioners. A series of recommendations emerging from the study’s findings serve to inform the central role of social workers in responding to the current pandemic in Nepal.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• social work
• Nepal
• lockdown
• Social Workers’ Association Nepal (SWAN)

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Saroj Giree, a faculty member in the Department of Social Work, Tribhuvan University, for the facilitation of the virtual discussions and the initial support provided to develop the paper. We are also equally grateful to Sudeep Lama Waiba, (PhD student) from the Department of Social Work, Tribhuvan University, for the ground-level coordination to arrange follow-up interviews for participants recruited for the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Despite caste-based discrimination is against the Law, Dalit communities still faces frequent social marginalization and stigmas in Nepal.

2. India is a neighboring country of Nepal, bordering to East, West, and South. The 1950 India–Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship saw the introduction of cross border opportunities for citizens of both countries with many Nepalese citizens having traveled to India for employment purposes.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.