United Nations

Field Coordination Office (UNFCO)

Eastern Region, Biratnagar Nepal - 2013

District Profile: DHANUSHA

Dhanusha is one of the southern Tarai1 districts of
Janakpur Zone in the central development region of
Nepal. The total area of the district is 1,180 km2. The
district is surrounded by Mahottari District in the west,
Siraha District in the east, Sindhuli District in the north and
Indian state of Bihar in the south. Janakpur Dham, the
only municipality in the district, is its District Headquarters
(DHQ). Most local government, non-governmental and
other organisations are located there. Besides emerging as
a national commercial and administrative hub of the
central Tarai, Dhanusha is one of the major religious
centres in the country with great tourism potential.
Janakpur was once the capital of Mithila region, where the
goddess Sita, the wife of the god Ram, was born and
brought up. This makes the entire district and Janakpur in
particular a unique pilgrimage site, mainly for Hindus from
around the world.
Administratively, the district comprises 101 Village Development Committees (VDCs) and one
Municipality, in 17 Ilakas3 and seven electoral constituencies. The DHQ is linked to the capital with three
daily flights. Roads are the main means of transportation in the district, though Nepal’s only railway
network, the 70km long meter gauge Jaynagar-Janakpur-Bijulpura line, passes through the district.
However, only the segment connecting the Indian town Jayanagar and Janakpur is functional at the
moment. Railway service quality and reliability are poor due to technical difficulties; the 29 km journey
takes more than three hours. The
2 Indian government has proposed to
Dhanusha in a Nutshell
2 extend the broad gauge railway
Total area: 1,180km Population: 754,777
network up to Bardibas via
Total VDCs: 101 Female: 376,239 (50%)
Municipalities: 1 Male: 378,538 (50%) Janakpur, which would connect the
Eligible people registered to vote: 320,327 (May 2013) district HQ with major Indian towns
Total households: 138,225 Aged 10-24: 240,506 like Patna, Kolkata and New Delhi
Average household size: 5.46 Males: 123,993 and immensely increase the trading
Human Development Index: 0.449 Females: 116,513 and commercial potential in the
Literacy rate: 50% Women’s literacy rate: 40% district.
Foreign aid disbursement per capita: USD 3.00
Foreign aid commitment: USD 36 million, 90% through GoN In 2011, Dhanusha’s population
Basic Education Schools: 386 Higher secondary schools: 53 numbered 754,777 people, 50% of
Campus: 10 Hospitals: 1 GoN them female. The age profile of
Health posts: 16 Sub-health posts: 102 Dhanusha reveals a rather young

1
Tarai means ‘the plains’; it is a belt of flat, alluvial land in the southern regions of Nepal.
2
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2011; Nepal Human Development Report 2009; District
Development Profile of Nepal 2013: A Socio-Economic Development Database of Nepal; Ministry of Finance, District Aid Profile
March 2013; Ministry of Finance, Development Cooperation Report 2011/12; Election Commission of Nepal records accessed
May 2013
3
An Ilaka is an administrative unit between Village Development Committee and District level, the boundaries of which take
terrain into account.
1 of 17
population. The population of males aged 20 to 34 is noticeably smaller than that of females due to the
dynamics of migration. Census 2011 data show that there are 75,332 children under five in the district,
84,860 adolescent girls (10-19), and 189,471 women of reproductive age (15 to 49) and 54,466 seniors
(aged 60 and above). In 2001, Dhanusha’s population was composed of 22% Dalits, 14% Janajatis, 6%
Brahmins, 2% Chhetris among other groups (see Annex for VDC-wise map).4 In 2011, 90% of Dhanusha’s
population is Hindu, 9% Muslim, 2% Buddhist, and smaller shares are of other religions. The main
language spoken is Maithili, although there are significant numbers of Nepali speakers also.
A typical household in Dhanusha is
made up of about five or six
Age Profile, Dhanusha
people and owns its home (95%).
90-94 Yrs. Only 4% of households live in
Males Females
80-84 Yrs. rented premises. Most households
70-74 Yrs. use cowdung (44%) or kerosene
60-64 Yrs. (42%) for cooking, and electricity
50-54 Yrs. (73%), kerosene (24%), or solar
40-44 Yrs. power (1%) for lighting.5
30-34 Yrs. Improvement of power supply
20-24 Yrs.
infrastructure is a priority for the
10-14 Yrs.
development of the district. Nepal
Electricity Authority is the sole
00-04 Yrs.
electricity provider in the entire
60000 40000 20000 0 20000 40000 60000
district. Electricity is mainly used
by households for lighting (65%)
and cooking (<5%), while approximately 30% of it is for industrial use. Overall, only 51% of the district’s
population has access to electricity while 70% of VDCs are connected to the grid in the district, implying
that some VDCs are not fully electrified due to either technical reasons or poverty.6
Radio, television and newspapers are the major means of mass communication in the district. About two
in five households have radios and televisions (42%) and 14% are connected to cable television.7
Television service is provided by five cable operators to households in and around Janakpur, and about
60% of VDCs elsewhere in the district are connected to cable TV networks. About 120 daily and weekly
newspapers are registered in the district, but only five daily and a few weekly papers and magazines are
published locally. The distribution of these newspapers is limited to municipal and some service centre
areas. National daily, weekly and other magazines are also available in Janakpur, Mahendranagar and
other settlements along the east-west highway. Radio has emerged as the leading medium for mass
communication in the district, with seven FM stations having started operating in the last two years.
Only 1% of households in Dhanusha are connected to the internet; however, two thirds (67%) have a
mobile phone.8 Nepal Telecom, a public sector company, provides telecommunication facilities in all
VDCs in Dhanusha. Ncell and UTL, both private companies, also provide services in the district. As of July
2012, Nepal Telecom distributed 9,603 land lines, 82,300 GSM mobile lines, 11,503 sky phones (CDMA
technology), 7,500 CDMA C-phones and 709 internet connections.9
There are 760km of roads in the district (about half of these are dirt roads, a third gravel and the rest
blacktop), at road density of about 64km/100km², well above the national average (15km), and 1.13km
of road per 1,000 residents, which is below the national average due to Dhanusha’s high population
density.10 Still, only 10% of households in Dhanusha have motorcycles, and 58% have bicycles.11 Major

4
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2001; 2011 Census data on district 2011 caste/ethnic
composition data are not available at district level as of May 2013.
5
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2011
6
Nepal Electricity Authority Annual Report 2011
7
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2011
8
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2011
9
Data provided by Nepal Telecom office in October 2012
10
Dhanusha District Road Inventory, 2007
2 of 17
modes of transportation for goods and people are trucks, tractors and buses, which ply the district road
network with limited frequency and reliability due to disruptions during monsoon season (June to
September). In some parts of the district tractors and bullock carts are still important means of
transportation for goods and people. In the last decade the number of two-wheelers has increased
drastically as these emerged as the major mode of transportation for individuals in urban as well as rural
areas of the district. To cover short distances, rickshaws play an imortant role both in urban and rural
areas of the district.
Dhanusha, and Janakpur in particular, has potential to become a centre for promotion of Mithila art.
This art form is passed down from generation to generation of rural women in south-eastern Nepal, and
uses natural pigments to depict occasions of social and religious significance, such as births, marriages,
and ceremonial celebrations.

Governance
The major political actors in the district include Nepali Congress (NC), Communist Party of Nepal United
Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML), Unified Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist (UCPN-M), Madheshi People’s
Rights Forum (MPRF), Sadbhawana Party, Churebhawar National Unity Party (CNUP), Tarai Madhesh
Loktantrik Party (TMLP), and Rashtriya Janshakti Party. According to the District Development
Committee (DDC), the total number of political parties in the district is above 20. However, of the 32
national parties represented in the Constituent Assembly (CA), only 14 are present in Dhanusha at the
district level and were part of the now dissolved All Party Mechanism of the DDC. NC and CPN-UML have
strong organisational structures in the district. Since the CA election, other political parties have also
expanded their local networks.12 Local political dynamics after the dissolution of the CA are very fluid,
making any assessment of the strength of different political parties difficult.
In the 2008 CA elections, only one candidate of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum was elected from the district,
unlike in other parts of the Tarai. Six of the seven candidates elected in first-past-the-post (FPTP) runs in
Dhanusha were male; under proportional representation (PR), ten of the fifteen selected candidates
representing different parties were women (see annex for detailed results). On average 62% of eligible
voters cast ballots across Dhanusha’s five constituencies, however a relatively large share of cast votes
were deemed invalid (around 8% in FPTP and 5% in PR runs), which is on par with other districts in
Central Tarai.
15
In mid-May 2013, the total number of people registered Governance performance in Dhanusha
to vote in Dhanusha reached 320,327. In August 2012, Dhanusha DDC lost 20% of its grant incentive
295,456 eligible voters had been registered by the in 2011/12 for failing to meet any functional
Election Commission with biometrics and photograph in performance measures (programme, budget,
and financial management; resource
Dhanusha (47% men, 53% women, and seven of third
mobilization; transparency; monitoring and
gender). The District Election Office is located in evaluation; or service delivery.
Janakpur.13
The latest available vital registration records from Dhanusha are for 2010, when 11,127 births, 2,005
deaths, 1,704 marriages and one divorce were registered.14
Dhanusha’s District Development Committee (DDC) faced serious charges of corruption and 18 of its 49
officials were suspended in September 2012. Strikes were called and the offices padlocked by political
groups and employee unions to protest corruption allegations. According to a program officer in the
DDC, the DDC has halted development work and services since the end of the last fiscal year. In
December 2012, the Commission for Investigating Abuse of Authority brought a corruption case against

11
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2011
12
Interaction with journalists, civil society and community members in October 2012
13
Election Commission of Nepal records: http://www.election.gov.np/reports/CAResults/reportBody.php
14
Intensive Study and Research Centre, District and Village Development Committee Profile of Nepal 2013; Data from Ministry
of Local Development
3 of 17
the 18 suspended officials in the Special Court. Most of the VDC secretaries are not present in their VDCs
but stay in the DHQ.

Rule of Law and Protection

Data are provided wherever possible in disaggregated form, as made available by local
institutions. Although it is commonly understood that informal justice mechanisms sometimes
interfere with due process by pressuring claimants to mediate criminal cases (including gender and
caste based violence cases) locally, information on the incidence of this practice is not available
from local or national institutions, because these offices seldom hear from such claimants.
Dhanusha is served by a District Police Office which has a Women and Children Service Centre as well as
a Human Rights desk. Police presence in the district includes 13 Area Police Offices, 23 Sub-Area Police
Offices, three temporary Police Posts and two Border Police Posts. Altogether 765 police personnel are
present in the district out of which only 22 are women. Among the police personnel present in the
district, there are a Superintendent, a Deputy Superintendent, seven Inspectors, 33 Sub-Inspectors, 89
Assistant Sub-Inspectors, 172 Head Constables, 495 Constable and 22 support staff.16

16
In 2011, 478 crimes were registered with
Dhanusha Security and Justice Services the Dhanusha Police, 92 of them
Police Offices/Posts: 40 homicides, 66 suicides, 117 public
Police officers: 743 male + 22 female offences, and 14 related to women and
children.17 More than 2,500 civil and
Women and Children’s Service Center in Rajbiraj
criminal cases were registered in District
provides counselling, advocacy and rescue services in
cases involving human trafficking, polygamy, rape, or Court 2011/12. Registration of court cases
other gender-based violence. at the district level has increased since the
signing of the Comprehensive Peace
District Legal Aid Committee and 61 lawyers provide Agreement, with improved security and
free legal information and counsel. access to legal institutions. There is no
actual record of the implementation rate
Bar Association unit provides legal aid and counsel in
of court decisions. Out of 136 sanctioned
human rights and discrimination cases.
posts at the District Court, 45 are vacant;
the absence of elected representatives and
VDC secretaries are bottlenecks for the timely processing and implementation of court decisions, as the
local bodies play a vital role at various stages of legal proceedings.18
The Legal Aid Act 1997, which sets out specific provisions for institutional capacities to make available
free legal aid to “persons who are unable to protect their legal rights due to financial and social
reasons,” came into effect in Dhanusha in 2001.19 A District Legal Aid Committee in the District Court
provides people with legislative and judicial information and free of charge legal counsel and advocacy
services to disabled people, women, children and the poor at the District Court. The District Court has a
Child Bench which handles cases involving minors. Dhanusha has a judge, lawyer, psychologist and social
worker trained in juvenile justice procedures supporting its Child Bench.20
The Nepal Bar Association of Dhanusha has a dedicated unit providing legal aid and counsel specifically
for human rights cases, cases involving women, Dalits and Janajatis. Public legal services are provided by
61 lawyers registered with the Nepal Bar Association. It also implements various legal awareness
15
Local Bodies Fiscal Commission Secretariat, Minimum Conditions and Performance Measures Assessment of Local Bodies of
Nepal (December 2011). According to the provisions of Local Self‐Governance Regulation (1999) the Ministry of Local
Development developed the Minimum Conditions and Performance Measures for local bodies and linked the size of the capital
development grant to performance.
16
Interview with District Police Office in October 2012
17
Intensive Study and Research Centre, District and VDC Profile of Nepal 2013; Data from Police Headquarters
18
District Court Dhanusha, Annual Progress Report 2011/12; District Women & Children Office, Saptari and District Police Office,
Saptari
19
Legal Aid Act 1997, Note on date of commencement of Section of the Act in Districts. Accessed in January 2013 at:
www.ncf.org.np/upload/files/184_en_legal-aid-act.pdf
20
As of 7 September 2012; Information provided by UNICEF in February 2013
4 of 17
programmes via interactive public workshops, capacity building trainings to the VDC level Paralegal
Committees, Women’s network and Child Clubs, and by disseminating legal education materials.21 The
Nepal Bar Association has a Women Lawyer Centre at Janakpur Appellate Court.22
Outstanding protection issues in the district, as assessed by the Women and Children Office in Dhanusha
include the absence of technical expertise to handle protection cases, lack of systematic referral
mechanisms to address protection cases at local and district levels, limited access to justice mechanisms
for cases related to child marriage, dowry, domestic violence and exploitation, and less than adequate
coordination by the District Child Welfare Board (DCWB). Per the Children's Act 1992, the DCWB is
responsible for child rights promotion and protection in the district by receiving and managing reports of
children in need of care and protection (orphans, abandoned, child labour, child abuse, etc.) and Village
Child Protection Committees are to be its local extension. However, such structures have not yet been
established yet in Dhanusha.23

Equity and Social Inclusion

Data are provided wherever possible in disaggregated form, as made available by local
institutions. However, many sectors either do not recognise disaggregation as a need in record
keeping practices or do not have the capacity to maintain and make accessible such information.
This dearth of data for particular groups, castes or even gender makes it difficult to judge which
populations are particularly affected by diverse problems such as landlessness, food insecurity,
higher HIV risks, and exclusion from political and development planning processes.
Although gender and caste based discrimination is said to be common by local institutions, it is not
possible to judge their prevalence because most cases are not reported due to lack of awareness
by victims and sometimes due to pressure by the community not to approach formal institutions.
Social and gender-based exclusion and discriminatory practices are embedded in everyday life, thereby
thwarting social, economic, cultural and political opportunities for large portions of the population,
particularly where multiple factors apply, as for Madheshi, Muslim, or Dalit women in the district.
Women face unequal power relations and barriers due to a patriarchal social structure and the
exploitative nature of the socio-cultural system, which are at the root of many gender based violence
and sexual exploitation cases.
Of all households in Dhanusha, 20% are headed by women. Among those aged 10 and older, 7% of men
and 22% of women married before they were 15, and 45% of men and 64% of women married between
15 and 19. In other words, the vast majority (86%) of girls and women in Dhanusha married as
adolescents. In 76% of households in Dhanusha,
women own neither the house nor any land.24 31
Minority representation in schools
Of women aged 15 to 49 in the Central Tarai who were Female Male
not employed in the past year, a quarter cite having Share of children enrolled in grades 1-8
small children as a reason, and over a third that their
Dalits 29% 30%
family does not allow them to work. These figures paint Janajati 18% 18%
the portrait of women in the sub-region as constrained Disabled 0.4% 0.5%
by the norms of early marriage and childbirth and their Share of children enrolled in grades 9-10
livelihood opportunities circumscribed within the Dalits 17% 19%
home.25 Janajati 17% 15%
Other gender issues in the district include restricted Disabled 0.3% 0.4%
Share of teachers of grades 1-5
movement of women, torture related to dowry or
Dalits 8% 9%
alleged witchcraft, child and early marriage, domestic
Janajati 11% 12%
violence and limited access to education as well as to

21
Interview with Nepal Bar Association in October 2012
22
Information provided by UNICEF in February 2013
23
As of December 2012; Information provided by UNICEF in February 2013
24
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2011
25
Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011
5 of 17
certain economic activities, property ownership, and choice of occupation. Violence based on
accusations of witch-craft is prevalent in the district, whereby well-off or high caste people allege that
poorer members of other castes practice witchcraft and treat them inhumanely on that basis. Due to the
lack of public awareness on legal prohibitions and prevalence of caste-based discrimination, many such
cases still remain unreported. The prevalence of dowry practices and related domestic violence against
women has decreased, however, it is still a tradition among the Madheshi community.
Despite the legal prohibition of bonded labour, these practices still persist. At least 19% of households in
Dhanusha were or are affected by Haruwa/Charuwa26 bonded labour. The Government has provided
rehabilitation support to freed Kamaiyas27 and has committed to a similar package for freed Haliyas28,
but the problems of Haruwa/Charuwas are still to be recognised and addressed. Two-thirds of Haruwa-
Charuwa households are Dalit; rehabilitation support is needed for access to quality education, health
services, livelihood opportunities, and housing.29 Similarly, about 10% of children aged 10-14 in the
district were estimated to be working in 2008,30 primarily as domestic workers or in brick kilns.
A Coordination Committee in the district led by the Chief Development Officer (CDO) aims to address
gender-based violence issues, along with a Gender Based Violence Control Direction Committee led by
the District Women and Children Officer (DWCO). Additionally, there is the Gender Mainstreaming and
Social Inclusion Coordination Committee comprising the CDO, DWCO, Police, line agencies, civil society
and NGOs active on gender issues in the district. One service centre and eight sub-service centres across
the district, managed by DWCO, provide protection, legal, psychosocial and other support to helpless
women and victims of gender-based violence. Three local NGOs and Paralegal Committees advocate
more specifically for the rights of minority groups and women in the district.

Education31
In 2001, fewer than two in five (36%) women above six years old in Dhanusha were literate, compared
to three out of five of men.32 A decade later, still three in five boys and men aged five and above (61%)
are literate, while only two in five girls and women (40%) can read and write. Among those aged 20 and
above, 21% of men and 12% of women in Saptari have completed basic education. The share of the
population who have obtained School Leaving Certificate is 14% of men and 6% of women.33
In 2011/12, Dhanusha had 386 basic and 78 secondary schools, about three quarters of which are
supported by the government, 30 are Madarsa schools (grades 5 and below), and one Ashram school
(grades 1 and 2). Enrolment in basic education (grades one through eight) in Dhanusha is below the
national average at 74%, and only a third of all adolescent girls at relevant ages to be in secondary
school are enrolled. Among newly enrolled children in grade one, 62% of boys and 55% of girls had Early
Childhood Development experience in 2011/12.
The ratio of boys to girls (gender parity) of those enrolled in 2010/11 was 0.95 in basic education, but
only 0.88 in secondary education. A worrying observation is that, not only do dropout rates increase at
each level of education, but the dropout rate for girls outpaces that for boys from age 10 or so onward.

26
Local terms for bonded labour in central and eastern Tarai. Haruwa labourers have a verbal contract to plough their landlord’s
land in exchange of either land or annual payment in cash or kind, or to pay off debt.
27
The Kamaiya Labour Act 2002 prohibits most bonded labour forms in the agricultural sector, including Haruwa/Charuwa.
28
Haliya are those who served as agricultural bonded labourers to till the land and undertake heavy manual labour in lieu of
interest on debts owed or land provided by landlords. The Government of Nepal abolished the Haliya system, following a five
point agreement in September 2008. See also: http://www.un.org.np/headlines/rchco-field-bulletin-issue-7.
29
Central Department of Population Studies. 2009. Nepal Forced Labour of Adults and Children in Agricultural Sector Survey.
Kathmandu: Tribhuvan University and ILO
30
District and VDC Profile of Nepal 2010; data from various sources including Nepal Labour Force Survey 2008, Central Bureau of
Statistics, Nepal Demographic Survey 2010; Information provided by UNICEF in February 2013
31
Ministry of Education, Flash I Report 2011/2012 unless otherwise noted; NER (net enrolment rate) is the share of children in
the relevant age category who are enrolled in school. Official figures reflect only human resources funded by the central
government and are reported figures are sometimes questioned by civil society organisations working in the education sector,
with the motivation that central government funding which is linked to enrolments is an incentive to over-report.
32
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2001
33
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2011
6 of 17
In 2010/11 the Non-Formal Education Centre estimated that 21% of children aged 5-15 in Dhanusha
were out of school. An exercise on identifying and mapping out of school children in 2011/12 found
significantly fewer out of school children: 10,572 girls and 10,972 boys (and 499 children with no sex
specified), over half of them between five and nine years old. Among out of school children, more girls
than boys had never been enrolled to begin with, and the most frequently cited reason for being out of
school was poverty, followed by unwillingness to study.34
There are on average 66 students to every teacher reported in basic education in Dhanusha, more than
twice the Central Region average, while in secondary
Education statistics in Dhanusha education there are on average 26 students per
Enrolment (NER) in basic education teacher. Official figures on teachers employed, their
(grade 1-8): 72% of girls | 76% of boys sex and training status are only available for those
Enrolment (NER) in secondary education teachers funded by the central government, although
(grade 9-10): 33% of girls | 38% of boys
sometimes significant numbers of additional teachers
are hired locally. Less than a third (30%) of centrally-
7.2% 10.8% Dhanusha funded teachers of grades 1-5 in Dhanusha are female
6.0% dropout rates and 2.4% of these women are untrained (similarly to
2% of their male counterparts). Among grade 6-8
10.1% 12.4% Boys teachers, only 8% are female and more than twice the
3.6% share of women is untrained in Dhanusha as men
Girls
(15% and 6% respectively). These figures indicate that
Grade 1-5 Grade 6-8 Grade 9-10 teaching jobs overwhelmingly go to men in Dhanusha;
(Age 5-9) (Age 10-12) (Age 13-14) when women attain them, it is not always with the
Grade 6-8 teachers who are untrained: 7% proper preparation, and this discrepancy is more
pronounced at higher grade levels.
There are many options for those who want to pursue higher education in Dhanusha, compared to most
districts of Nepal. One publicly funded college in Janakpur offers courses of study up through Master
level in humanities, management, education and science. A total of 1,610 students (30% women) were
pursuing Bachelor degrees at this institution in 2012, and 529 students (29% women) were enrolled in
Master courses, the most popular discipline being management.35 There are also nine privately operated
colleges affiliated with Tribhuvan University in Janakpur, offering courses of study up through Bachelor
level in humanities and science and technology, and up through Master level in management and
education.36 Under the Enhanced Vocational Education and Training (EVENT) programme run by the
Ministry of Education, which targets young holders of School Leaving Certificate from disadvantaged
communities, two men from Dhanusha were selected for assistance to obtain Technical School Leaving
Certificates as medical assistant and eneterprise development facilitator.37

Employment, Migration and Social protection

Data are provided wherever possible in disaggregated form, as made available by local
institutions. However, many sectors either do not recognise disaggregation as a need in record
keeping practices or do not have the capacity to maintain and make accessible such information.
This dearth of data for particular groups, castes or even gender makes it difficult to judge which
populations are particularly affected by unemployment, lack of skill training opportunities, and
risks associated with unsafe migration. Remittance flow and utilisation data are virtually non-
existent, because most migrants transmit their earnings through informal channels.

34
Department of Education/World Education/UNICEF, Mapping of Out-of-School Children: An Analysis of Eight Terai Districts of
Nepal 2012; the study identifies as its limitations that children of seasonal migrants and children with disabilities that the
community considers to preclude them from being enrolled may have been omitted.
35
Intensive Study and Research Centre, District and Village Development Committee Profile of Nepal 2013; Data from Tribhuvan
University
36
Tribhuvan University webpage: http://www.tribhuvan-university.edu.np/, accessed in January 2013
37
EVENT testing results: http://www.event.gov.np/pdf/finalresult2069.pdf
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Dhanusha is predominantly an agriculture dependent district, as are most districts in Nepal. In 2003/4,
around half of economically active population was engaged in agriculture, followed by trade and
commerce (14%) and production and recycling (13%), and to lesser degrees construction, general
administration and education.38 Despite diminishing returns to investment in agriculture, the majority of
population is bound to work in this sector due to lack of skills and off-farm opportunities in the district.
VDCs in the south of the district experience seasonal out-migration of unskilled workers (about 100 to
150 persons per VDC) to Indian states of Assam and Punjab in India, which sometimes creates local
labour shortages during the monsoon season.39
In recent years overseas migration has become more popular among skilled labourers in Dhanusha.
Between 2003 and 2009, Dhanusha led the country in number of migrants heading overseas to work –
an estimated 7% of the district’s population (upward of 58,000 people) migrated overseas.40 Though
reliable information about remittances is not available, very high migration rates indicate that
remittances are an important source of household income for families in Dhanusha. Specialised trainings
for potential foreign employment seekers and relevant infrastructure might bolster the earning
potential of Dhanusha migrants.
In 2012, 22 commercial banks, five development banks, and five other financial companies operated in
Dhanusha. In addition, in 2011 there were 207 saving and credit cooperatives with 30,936 members,
48% of whom female, and 49 multipurpose cooperatives with 6,575 members, 57% of whom female.
There were 3,004 small and cottage industries registered in the district, approximately two thirds of
these in the service sector, one third in manufacture, and smaller numbers in other sectors.41
Due to disruption of services by the DDC, social welfare benefits were not distributed during the
2011/12 fiscal year, but have been disbursed in the following six months to the 34,258 people registered
to receive these. Census 2011 data show that there are 1,924 men and 1,215 women with physical
disability and 459 men and 302 women with mental disability in Dhanusha.42

Health43
A Zonal Hospital with 200 beds at Janakpur serves as the main referral point for Dhanusha, Mahottari,
Siraha and Sarlahi districts. Patients of this hospital are referred to facilities in Dharan, Kathmandu or
Patna in India for further treatment if required. A private medical college situated on the outskirts of
Janakpur also provides specialised health care. Health services at village level are provided by Sub-
Health Posts managed by the local government. Each Sub-Health Post has one assistant health worker
and one Female Community Health Volunteer. They perform primary care and refer patients as
necessary to the Zonal Hospital in Janakpur or to nearest Primary Health Centre. Each electoral
constituency has one Primary Health Centre (staffed by one medical officer and two nurses), and each
Health Post (staffed by one health assistant) covers six to eight VDCs. Six private nursing homes and
numerous private clinics provide medical services in the district.
In 2011, the ratio of residents to doctors in Dhanusha was estimated at over 20,000, indicating immense
potential pressure on hospital infrastructure. During monsoon season or outbreaks of certain diseases,
the hospital premises are not able to accommodate the flow of patients. The infrastructure is also in
poor shape and poorly managed.44
Dhanusha has relatively large concentrations of individuals at high risk for HIV (about 750 to 1,000
injecting drug users, female sex workers and male or transgender sex workers and their clients). The

38
National Living Standards Survey II (2003/4) data, accessed at District Statistics office in August 2012
39
Interview with locals of Lohana Village Development Committee in August 2012
40
Department of Foreign Employment records, National Living Standards Survey II (2003/4) data, accessed at District Statistics
Office in August 2012
41
Intensive Study and Research Centre, District and Village Development Committee Profile of Nepal 2013; Data from Nepal
Rastra Bank, Department of Co-operative, Department of Industry, and Department of Cottage and Small Industries
42
Central Bureau of Statistics, National Population and Housing Census 2011
43
District Public Health office Annual Report 2011
44
Interview with District Public Health Office officials in October 2012
8 of 17
district also saw a relatively high numbers of reported new HIV-positive cases in 2009-11, 59% of these
among men.45 Local public and private providers offer voluntary testing and counselling, as well as
antiretroviral therapy and prevention of transmission from mother to child services.46
There were 261 new cases of tuberculosis among males and 110 among females in Dhanusha in
2010/11, and in the previous year (the latest reported) 88% of cases were treated successfully.47
Dhanusha is also a district designated at high risk for malaria.
Dhanusha has a contraceptive prevalence rate
Health services and institutions in Dhanusha of 69%, above the national target for 2015.
Three in five women (60%) deliver their
45
Reported HIV-positive cases children with assistance from a skilled birth
Year 2009 2010 2011 attendant.48 Only regional averages are
Men 21 53 61 available for neonatal and under-five mortality
Women 11 37 46 (the probability of dying within the first month
and before the fifth birthday, respectively), and
Service delivery
these are 3.6% or 6.0% for the Central
Contraceptive prevalence rate 69%
Region.49 Seven to nine female community
Measles vaccination coverage 101%
Delivery by Skilled Birth Attendant
health volunteers extend maternal, neonatal
(SBA) as % of expected pregnancy 60% and child health information and services to
Female Community Health Volunteers 912 communities in Dhanusha; a total of 912 such
Institutions volunteers serve in the district.
Zonal Hospital 1 The District Public Health Office runs numerous
Ayurvedic Hospital 1 health awareness campaigns through newly
Primary Health Centers 5
established FM radios, road shows, theatres,
Health Posts 16
leaflets, and posters, such as a campaign on
Sub-Health Posts 102
HIV prevention in settlements along the
national highway assisted by several INGOs.50 A
Polio awareness campaign with the help of WHO Programme for Immunization Preventable
Diseases covers the entire district, and another program focuses on the eradication of malaria and kala-
azar (black fever, known as the world’s second-largest parasitic killer, to which Dhanusha is one of most
prone districts in the country).

Sanitation statistics
In Dhanusha, 77% of households are estimated to have access to safe drinking water, and 31% to have a
toilet. None of the VDCs in the district has been so far declared an Open Defecation Free area.51 The
Water, Sewerage and Sanitation Office has identified social acceptability of open defecation, and the
expectation by people that toilet construction will be subsidised by the government or development
partners, as major obstacles to the adoption of the in-house toilets.

Nutrition52
Nutritional status data are not available in disaggregated form. GoN data are reported annually
from growth monitoring at facilities which achieves on average 39% coverage of children under
five years old. Household survey data are collected once in five years and disaggregated only by
eco-zone, but not by district.

45
Information provided by UNAIDS in March 2013; data from National Centre for AIDS and STD Control
46
National Centre for AIDS and STD Control, Mapping and Size Estimation of Most and Risk Population 2011
47
Department of Health Services, Nepal National TB Programme Annual Report 2010/2011
48
Department of Health Services, Annual Report 2010/11
49
Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011
50
Himalayan Social Welfare Organization, Nepal Red Cross Society, Rural Development Foundation, General Welfare Pratisthan,
Blue Diamond Society
51
Data provided by Water Supply and Sanitation division office in October 2012
52
Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, 2011; Department of Health Services, Annual Report 2010/11
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Dhanusha is among the districts with highest prevalence of anaemia and underweight among women of
reproductive age. Although 97% of children under five were breastfed at least some of the time, over
half received prelacteal feeding, thereby being exposed to increased risk of infection and limited
nutrients. Fewer than one in 10 infants and young children in Dhanusha are fed according to
recommended practices.53

Agriculture and Food Security54

Agriculture is the mainstay of Dhanusha’s economy. More than 50% of the labour force is engaged in
agriculture. At present the District Agriculture
Development Office (DADO) provides services 52
Nutrition and Agriculture in Dhanusha
55

through its six Service Centres and 12 Sub- Children under 5 years of age
Service Centres strategically located at different Prevalence of stunting 41%
market hubs throughout the district. The focus Prevalence of Global Acute Malnutrition 10%
of DADO services are crop development and Prevalence of Moderate Acute Malnutrition 7%
conservation, horticulture, fishery development, Prevalence of Severe Acute Malnutrition 3.2%
agriculture extension and implementation of
Share ever breastfed 97%
agriculture policies and projects. In the last five
Share who received prelacteal feeding 53%
years, more that 1,400 farmers groups were
Share receiving meals with minimum
registered in the district, more than 1,100 still
adequate frequency 76%
function and 266 of them have exclusively
female membership. Farmers’ groups are Share with 3 IYCF Practices 9%
registered with DADO and can as such apply for Share severely underweight 6%
grants, trainings, projects, and inputs like seeds, Prevalence of anaemia 47%
fertilisers, small irrigation and production Women aged 15-49
technologies. Prevalence of anaemia 43%
Share underweight (BMI below 18.5) 26%
Over two thirds (64% or 76,531ha) of
Households using adequately iodized salt 84%
Dhanusha’s total area is cultivable land, and 90%
80,000
of this (69,163ha) is cultivated. Rice, wheat, 61,972 Cultivated land
pulses, oilseeds and sugarcane are the main 60,000 by crop (ha)
crops grown in the district. Only 44% (33,925ha) 38,450
40,000
of all cultivable land is irrigated while the rest
depends on monsoon rainfall for agricultural 20,000
2,885
production.56 2,365 2,275 3,590
0
According to the District Water Induced Disaster
Office, 2,500ha of fertile cultivable land is
degraded due to soil erosion and annual floods
in the district, mainly in the southern flood plain 400,000 Main types of 368,045
of Kamala and in the proximity of other major livestock (number)
rivers. Fisheries are another agricultural facet of 300,000
Dhanusha. The district has around 2,000ha of 178,114
200,000
water bodies (such as ponds and lowland areas
89,012
with seasonal water stagnation), with total fish 100,000 64,334
production in 2011/12 amounting to 3,000mt.57 7,980
Livestock farming is another sector with high 0
Cattle Buffalo Goats Fowl Ducks
development potential in the district, as almost
Total land area cultivated: 67,169ha
every household keeps oxen for ploughing or
Landowners: 56,536 Land tenants: 16,455

53
Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011, Department of Health Services, Annual Report 2010/11
54
District Agriculture Office, Annual Report 2011-12
55
Intensive Study and Research Centre, District and VDC Profile of Nepal 2013; Data from Ministry of Agriculture and
Cooperatives (2010/11)
56
Intensive Study and Research Centre, District and Village Development Committee Profile of Nepal 2013
57
District Agriculture Office, Annual Report 2011-12
10 of 17
animals for milk and meat production. Annual mutton, chicken and milk production totalled 29,200mt,
456,250mt, and 540,458 litres respectively in 2011/12.58

Geographic and Humanitarian Situation

Dhanusha is spread over latitude of 26°35'–27°5'N to longitude of 85°52'–86°20'E; the average North-
South length of the district is about 45km and East-West width about 27km. Altitude differences lead to
variation in weather across the district from North to South and contribute to its biodiversity. The
district is divided in three topographical zones: the Sivalic area in the north which ranges in elevation
from 300 to 600 meters above sea level, the Bhanwar area (150-300m), and the Tarai area in the south
(60-150m). More than 50% of the district is in the Tarai, which is densely populated with Madheshi
people. The Bhanwar region is on the other hand more sparsely populated with both Madhesis and
Pahadi populations from the mountainous and hilly regions. The Sivalic region is the least populated,
mainly with people of Pahadi origin.
Dhanusha falls in the arid and semi-arid hydrological zones, with average annual rainfall of 1,480mm
which occurring during the monsoon period (June to September). Average temperatures range between
11°C and 30°C. The southern Tarai area of the district is characterised by very fertile alluvial soil while
the Bhanwar and Sivalic range are characterised by soil mixed with sand and gravel. Solid rocks are
generally not found in the district and vegetation is sparse, making Sivalic and Bhanwar zones more
fragile and susceptible to soil erosion. The northern area (Chure and Bhanwar) is steeply sloped, while
the Tarai mildly so; this topography causes strong river currents during the rainy season in the northern
belt, while water pooling in southern
59
areas results in massive flooding and Disaster impact (1971-2009)
erosion of fertile soil. The problem is
aggravated by deforestation in the
Bhanwar area due to internal Affected 2,796,511 424,201
migration from the hills and
mountains to the Tarai following the
construction of the National Houses Destroyed 60,345 9,222
Highway and uncontrolled
excavation of sand and gravel from Rest of
riverbeds. Central
976
Region Injuries 19,885
The district has experienced
recurrent floods in the last few Dhanusha
years. The most vulnerable areas to
Deaths 8,412 676
water related natural emergencies
are Chora Kohalpur, Bisarbhora,
Harine, Singyahimadan, Durbakot Hathletwa, Lakkar, Balha Saghara and Patnuka VDCs. They are all
affected by the changing course of Kamla River and its excessive discharge during monsoon. The land
and water resources of the district have tremendous potential for agriculture, fisheries, forestry and
animal husbandry development, but terrain and deforestation contribute to continued loss of fertile
land and infrastructure due to annual and periodic floods.
Dhanusha does not have a functioning District Emergency Operations Centre yet, but it has a District
Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan. There are two Nepal Food Corporation warehouses located in
Janakpur, with a combined capacity of 3,000mt.

Environment
Dhanusha is famous for its water resources with over 50 religious ponds and numerous other ponds,
rivers and streams. The major rivers of the district are Kamala, Jalad, Dudhmati, Jamuni, Charnath, Rato,

58
District Livestock Office, Annual Report 2011-12
59
Nepal DesInventar Database, National Society for Earthquake Technology
11 of 17
Badhari, Jagdhar and Parsuram Khola. Among them Kamla, Rato, Jalad and Jamuni are perennial, while
the rest are rain fed rivers. In addition, many small streams
and the Khola river are flow in Dhanusha.
62
Forestry in Dhanusha
Dhanusha has about 27,578ha of forest covered area, and a
Area covered by forest: 23% (27,578ha)
Forest handed over to Forest User third of it is managed by Community Forest User Groups,60
Groups: 33% which involve a quarter of the district’s population.61 The
Households involved in Forest User average annual income of these User Groups is NRs
Groups: 25% 809,284 against average annual expenditure of NRs
509,352.62

Main Challenges
 The issue of untouchability, particularly against Dalits;
 Low literacy rate and high school dropout rate for girls;
 Shortage of agricultural labour and very low level of farm mechanisation;
 Low level of performance and allegations of corruption at DDC/VDC level;
 Prevalence of criminal/armed groups.

Main Opportunities
 Very good linkage to Indian markets;
 High potential for commercialisation of the agricultural sector;
 High potential for tourism development based on Hindu temples like Janaki Temple and
Dhanusha Dham, and promotion of Mithila art;
 High remittances provide opportunities to invest in micro-enterprises, commercial agriculture,
and dairy processing, for example.

Disclaimer: This District Profile is prepared following a brief field study and also uses secondary
data available at the end of 2012. The information presented in this District Profile does not
imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Although the RCHCO aims to
confirm all information independently, occasional factual inaccuracies can occur. For
corrections and suggestions, please contact Juho Siltanen, RCHCO Coordination Associate at
juho.siltanen@one.un.org or tel. +977 1 5523200
For other District Profiles and related information, visit the UN Nepal Information Platform at
http://www.un.org.np

60
Community Forest User Groups (CFUG), made up of people in the general catchment area of the forest in question,
collectively make decisions regarding conservation and income generation according to an agreement with the Forest Office.
Leasehold Forest User Group (LFUG) are made up of exclusively of members of poor families (those who own less than half a
hectare of land or have annual income below NRs 2,500), and lease forest areas from the Forest Office for 40 years at a time
with similar rights and responsibilities as the CFUGs.
61
District Forest Office, Annual Report 2011-12
62
Intensive Study and Research Centre, District and Village Development Centre Profile of Nepal 2013; Data from Department of
Forestry
12 of 17
UN staff
WFP UNDP Janakpur WHO Janakpur
Mukund Thakur Prem Kant Jha Nirmal Jha
Field Monitor for Sarlahi, Mahottari, Livelihoods Recovery Programme Tel: 9854020199, 041- 525684
Dhanusha, and Rautahat Manager /521874
tel: 9844192190 Tel: 041- 620911 Email: jhan@searo.who.int
Email: prem.jha@undp.org
UNFPA UNFPA UNICEF
Hari Prasad Bhusal Usha Baaniya Uddhab Khadka
Health System Strengthening Officer Gender and Social Inclusion Officer Governance Programme and
Email: bhusal@unfpa.org Email: usha.baaniya@gmail.com Planning Officer
Email: ukhadka@unicef.org

District Contacts

Tel. 041-520075, 9854007777

Chief District Officer
Office location Janakpur
Local Development Tel. 041-521563 / 520647 / 523354
Officer Office location Janakpur
Tel. 041-526271
District Health Office Email yogendrabhagat@yahoo.com
Office location Janakpur
Women Development Tel. 041-521005
Officer Office location Bishahara Chowk, Janakpur
Tel. 041-520910/526099
District Police Office Email dhanushapolice_aa@yahoo.com
Office location Janakpur
Tel. 041- 520143
District Education Office
Office location Janakpur
Tel. 041-520141
District Forest Office
Office location Janakpur
Tel. 041-523739
District Agriculture
Office Email dadodhanusha@gmail.com
Office location Janakpur
Tel. 041-523196
District Election Office Email dhanushadeo@gmail.com
Office location Janakpur

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Result of the 2008 Constituent Assembly Elections in Dhanusha
Name Party Gender Votes Election
Arvinda Shah TMLP M - PR
Kabindra Nath Thakur TMLP M - PR
Kashi Devi Jha TMLP F - PR
Durga Devi (Paswan) CPN-M F - PR
Jaya Ghimire CPN-M F - PR
Pramila Devi Yadav CPN-M F - PR
Sharada Jha CPN-UML F - PR
Urmila Devi Saha CPN-UML F - PR
Yadubansha Jha Maithil Bahun CPN-UML M - PR
Ram Saroj Yadav NC M - PR
Mahendra Yadav NC M - PR
Minakshi Jha NC F - PR
Krishna Thakur NC F - PR
Sarashoti Chaudary NC F - PR
Surita Kumari Saha MJF-R F - PR
Ram Kumari Devi Yadav CPN-M F 11,570 (29%) FPTP
Ram Chandra Jha CPN-UML M 12,183 (32%) FPTP
Bimalendra Nidhi CPN-UML M 15,582 (40%) FPTP
Shatrudhan Mahato CPN-UML M 11,620 (30%) FPTP
Ram Krishna Yadav NC M 9,825 (27%) FPTP
Ram Baran Yadav NC M 10,392 (28%) FPTP
Sanjay Kumar Shah MJF-R M 13,422 (35%) FPTP
Nepal Election Commission, 2009

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District Profile DHANUSHA: Annexes
District Profile DHANUSHA: Annexes
District Profile DHANUSHA: Annexes
(Census 2001)