At CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia, National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF)'s Chairperson Suni Lama, along with Indigenous leaders from Nepal, collaborated with Nepalese government delegates to present a draft of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). As steering committee members, NIWF and NEFIN played an active role in shaping the draft, emphasizing Indigenous Peoples' perspectives, traditional knowledge, and the protection of Indigenous rights within biodiversity conservation policies. Through the active involvement of NIWF and NEFIN on the NBSAP steering committee, and Indigenous Biodiversity Professional Kamal Samarung who is a technical committee member of NBSAP, the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous women were integrated into the draft.

Their participation underscored the critical role of Indigenous communities in biodiversity stewardship, urging the inclusion of culturally rooted approaches within national conservation strategies. This draft submission aligns with broader Indigenous expectations for strong, inclusive frameworks under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Emphasizing Indigenous Communities’ unique role as stewards of biodiversity, Suni Lama and fellow representatives advocated for frameworks that prioritize Indigenous rights and incorporate community-led solutions within the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Discussions underscored Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) call for accessible, sustained funding, land rights security, and a biodiversity strategy acknowledging the unique relationship Indigenous Peoples have with nature. The Leaders highlighted that Indigenous knowledge systems and their traditional resource management practices are critical to global biodiversity goals, advocating for an inclusive approach that allows Indigenous leaders to actively shape conservation policies and priorities.

On 29 November 2024, National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF) and the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) jointly organized a half-day sharing program to disseminate and discuss the outcomes of the recent Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP29. The event highlighted the implications of these landmark conferences for Indigenous Peoples, Women, Youth, and Girls in Nepal. It was facilitated by NIWF's Executive Director, Ms. Dwarika Thebe, who opened the program by underlining the importance of integrating Indigenous perspectives into global and national environmental policies and commitments.

The program brought together an esteemed panel of experts, practitioners, and government representatives. Mr. Kamal Kumar Rai, Technical Representative for Indigenous Peoples at the Nepal Indigenous Forum for Biodiversity, provided a detailed reflection on COP16, focusing on the progress made in recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ contributions to biodiversity conservation. Similarly, Mr. Tunga Badra Rai, Climate Change Expert and Executive Director of NEFIN, shared insights from COP29, highlighting the conference's focus on global climate financing, adaptation, and mitigation. However, he expressed concerns that the unique challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples—such as their disproportionate vulnerability to climate change impacts and their role as stewards of vital ecosystems—were insufficiently addressed in the final agreements.