Overall, the meeting served as a significant platform for reflection, learning, and strategic planning, reaffirming the value of the UPR as an advocacy tool for amplifying Indigenous voices and advancing inclusive, rights-based policies in Nepal.
From 9th to 11th July 2025, the National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF) organized a three-day training on Masculinity, Gender-Based Discrimination, and Social Norms for its staff, board members, and consortium partners—Dalit Women Network and Nepal Muslim Women Welfare Society (NMWWS). The training aimed to deepen understanding of gendered power structures and challenge harmful social norms within diverse communities. The program commenced with opening remarks by NIWF Chairperson Ms. Suni Lama, who highlighted the importance of critical reflection on gender roles, especially in the context of Indigenous and marginalized communities. Ms. Manorama from UN Women also delivered insightful remarks, emphasizing the need for intersectional approaches to gender justice.
The sessions were facilitated by GESI expert Dr. Sangram Lama, with support from team leader Ms. Pooja Shrestha. Vice Chairperson of NIWF, Ms. Yasso Kanti Bhattachan, delivered a compelling presentation on the Indigenous Peoples' Movement, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and General Recommendation No. 39 on the rights of Indigenous women and girls. Additionally, Mr. Amrit Sunuwar, Chairperson of Sunuwar Samaj Sewa, presented on the critical role of media in amplifying marginalized voices. He also addressed the media’s frequent bias and its failure to represent the issues of Indigenous and excluded communities adequately. The training created a space for reflection, learning, and collective strategizing toward building inclusive narratives and challenging discriminatory social norms.
On 6th July 2025, National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF), in collaboration with the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), Indigenous Women Legal Awareness Group (INWOLAG), National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal (NIDWAN), and National Indigenous Women Federation, successfully convened a Validation Workshop on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Draft Report, prepared through an Indigenous lens. The workshop aimed to validate the UPR draft report by incorporating critical inputs, feedback, and recommendations from Indigenous Nations and persons with disabilities. This collective effort seeks to ensure that the voices, rights, and lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples are effectively reflected in Nepal’s UPR submission.
The program was facilitated by Ms. Pratima Gurung, Chairperson of NIDWAN and a prominent Indigenous disability rights activist. Hon. Kiran Kumar Sah, Chairman of the Committee on Women and Social Affairs served as the Chief guest for the program. Mr. Hom Yamphu, Professor at TU and an expert on Indigenous rights and policy advocacy, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the UPR mechanism, its relevance to Nepal, and the process of preparing the draft report. He provided an in-depth walkthrough of the key thematic areas covered in the report, highlighting the gaps in the existing human rights frameworks and policies from Indigenous perspectives. The participants of the workshop included representatives from Indigenous Organizations, Indigenous Disabled persons organizations and Indigenous activist. The attendees actively engaged in reviewing the draft and offered insightful feedback and recommendations based on lived realities, structural barriers, and policy shortcomings. Key areas discussed included land rights, political participation, access to justice, education, climate justice, and accessibility for Indigenous Women, Girls and persons with disabilities.
From 9th to 11th June 2025, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF) jointly organized a workshop titled "Inclusive Conservation: Understanding the Contributions, Leadership, and Challenges of Indigenous Peoples in Nepal." The event was held at ICIMOD Headquarters in Lalitpur and continued at Nagarkot. The workshop's chief guest was Hon. Rupa B.K. State Minister for Forest and Environment, while special guests included Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of ICIMOD, Hon. Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar of Indigenous Nationalities Commission (INC), Hon. Subodh Singh Tharu of the Tharu Commission; Ms. Suni Lama, Chairperson of NIWF, and Mr. Divas Rai, General Secretary of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN).
The workshop brought together a diverse group of participants and representatives from key Indigenous and civil society organizations, including: NIWFederation, INWOLAG, NIDA, LAHURNIP, FIKA, YFIN, Limi Youth Society, ICCA Network Nepal, FKDF, NFDIN, Maiti Nepal, CIPRED, Tharu Kalyankari Sabha, Sana Udhyog, Tharu Mahila Sabha, NAST and Sunuwar Samaj Sewa.
Key thematic areas covered during the program included:
- Target 3 of Nepal’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP)
- OECM (Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures)
- Indigenous and Traditional Territories (ITT)
- Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCA)
This workshop served as an important platform to highlight the crucial role of Indigenous Peoples in biodiversity conservation, recognize their traditional knowledge and stewardship practices, and strengthen their leadership in policy-level conservation efforts in Nepal.
In celebration of World Environment Day 2025, the National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF) successfully organized a community-level event in Bishambhara, Shankharapur Municipality, Kathmandu under the global theme "Beat Plastic Pollution." The objective of the program was to raise awareness about environmental protection and highlight the importance of reducing plastic pollution, especially in rural and Indigenous communities. The event engaged 27 Tamang women farmers from the local Bishambhara Tamang Women Farmers' Group, promoting their role as stewards of sustainable agricultural practices and environmental conservation. As part of the celebration, Bodhi seed malas (Buddha chitta) were distributed to all participating women, symbolizing peace, awareness, and a spiritual connection to nature. This activity was supported through funding from Mama Cash.
The program was graced by the presence of Ms. Suni Lama, Chairperson of NIWF, Ms. Sushila Maya Gole, Treasurer, Ms. Puja Shrestha, Team Leader, Ms. Anju Gurung, Program Officer, Ms. Sanila Lama, Field Coordinator, Ms. Kavita Magar, Intern, as well as Ms. Junta Tamang, Chairperson of the Bishambhara Tamang Women’s Group, and other members of the group.
On 22 May 2025, National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF) celebrated World Biodiversity Day under the global theme, “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.” The event brought together government representatives, development partners, Indigenous leaders, and civil society actors to reaffirm the vital role of Indigenous Peoples in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The program was facilitated by Mr. Kamal Kumar Rai, Indigenous rights activist and environmental advocate, who guided the discussions around the intersections of Indigenous knowledge, biodiversity, and policy. The event was graced by Hon. Rupa B.K., State Minister for Forests and Environment, as the Chief Guest. In her remarks, Hon. B.K. acknowledged the historical and ongoing contributions of Indigenous communities in preserving biodiversity and committed to ensuring the inclusion of Indigenous voices in Nepal’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).
Special guests at the event included: Dr. K.C. Paudel, Team Leader of NBSAP, Mr. Rajendra Dhungana, Under Secretary, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Mr. Raghu Ram Parajuli, Senior Scientific Officer, Department of Plant Resources, Mr. Bijaya Singh, Assistant Resident Representative, UNDP, Mr. Divas Rai, General Secretary, Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), Ms. Seema Khan, Chairperson, Nepal Muslim Women Welfare Society, Mr. Amrit Sunuwar, Chairperson, Sunuwar Samaj, Mr. Fulman Bal, General Manager, Nepal Television.
Each speaker shared valuable insights on the importance of World Biodiversity Day and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting inclusive, rights-based, and ecologically balanced development. They highlighted the urgent need to protect Indigenous knowledge systems, land rights, and traditional practices as essential components of biodiversity conservation. The program concluded with closing remarks by Ms. Suni Lama, Chairperson of NIWF, who expressed gratitude to all participants and reaffirmed NIWF’s commitment to advocating for the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in national and global environmental policies.
On 13th May 2025, the National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF) organized a meeting titled “Challenges Faced by Indigenous Women and Girls in Nepal and Bangladesh Due to Climate Change” in Ward No. 6 of Bhumlu Rural Municipality, Kavrepalanchowk. This meeting served as a cross-border exchange of experiences, perspectives, and strategies between Indigenous women leaders from Nepal and Bangladesh, with a focus on how climate change disproportionately affects Indigenous communities especially women and girls. The program brought together the Indigenous women’s group from NIWF’s Climate Leadership and Action for Indigenous Women in Nepal (CLAN) project, two youth volunteers from Bangladesh, the team from the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (NOREC), and NIWF staff. The diverse representation at the meeting allowed for an engaging and reflective dialogue on shared challenges, grassroots resilience, and the urgency of strengthening climate leadership among Indigenous women and girls.
The Chairperson of Bhumlu Rural Municipality also joined the session and delivered remarks underlining the vital role of Indigenous communities in climate action. He emphasized the importance of supporting community-led initiatives and empowering Indigenous women to take leadership roles in climate adaptation and decision-making. He also acknowledged NIWF’s efforts in strengthening local capacities and expressed the municipality’s willingness to collaborate more closely on such inclusive and transformative projects. The meeting fostered mutual learning and solidarity between the participants, affirming that although the specific geographic and cultural contexts may differ, the systemic challenges faced by Indigenous women due to climate change are strikingly similar. Participants agreed on the need for continued cross-border dialogue, greater investment in Indigenous-led solutions, and stronger advocacy to ensure Indigenous voices are heard in national and international climate policymaking spaces.
National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF), with the support of MADRE, distributed educational materials including school uniforms, shoes, bags, stationery, and rice to three Indigenous girl students at Bishambhara, Ward No. 5 of Shankharapur Municipality, Kathmandu. Ms. Suni Lama, Chairperson of NIWF, handed over the materials to the recipients under the Indigenous Girls Opportunity Fund (IGOF).
National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF) with the support of MADRE, provided educational scholarships to two Thami girls from Kalinchok Rural Municipality, Dolakha. The support included school uniforms, shoes, school bags, notebooks, pens, and pencils. The scholarship recipients, currently studying in Grades 4 and 8, received the materials during a distribution event held on Wednesday in Sundrawati, Ward No. 9.
The scholarship is part of the Indigenous Girls Opportunity Fund (IGOF), which was established in 2023. Since its inception, the Fund has been awarding annual scholarships to diligent and economically marginalized Indigenous students through NIWF. In addition to the educational supplies, the scholarship also covered the full tuition fees for the academic year for both students ensuring they can continue their education without financial barriers.
