Projects

<p>NIWF is one of the partner organizations in the Migration (MUAH) program of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law, and Development (APWLD) for the year 2022-2024. With the help of this program, NIWF will work with the Indigenous Returnee migrant women of Chautara Sangachokgadhi Municipality, Bagmati Province. This is a Feminist Participatory Action Research that will work directly with the Indigenous Returnee migrant women to work on the issue that is most important to them. This project helps to combat structural injustices and will give grassroots Indigenous Returnee Migrant Women the tools they need to improve their ability to gather evidence, increase their bargaining power, plan campaigns and advocacy efforts, and form movements to demand structural changes. This project will work directly with the Indigenous Returnee migrant women to bring their narrative to the forefront and work alongside them to lobby for a structural change. It will also give them a platform to enhance their leadership skills while working together to challenge the negative stereotypes against Indigenous Women and Migrant Women.<br></p>

<p>NIWF has been working with MADRE since 2015 in the fields of Integrated Pest Management Farming, VIVA Girls initiative funds, and the Santoshi project. This year NIWF plans to further these program activities that consist of the continuation of some of the programs of previous years to sustain what was achieved, and some novel activities. Overall, the project consists of the Santoshi project, Integrated Pest Management in vegetable production, and awareness raising programs targeted at Indigenous Women and Girls. Foremost, the Santoshi Project has ensured Bankariya children’s right to education and has added value to it by having 10 of them trained in basic computer skills. In order to further sharpen their education, and strengthen their capability, the program proposes to capacitate Santoshi Bankariya with English language and pedagogy skills. It also envisions providing computer classes to Bankariya children at the community level which can be facilitated by one of the previously trained. In addition to the basic set of uniform and stationery support to Bankariya children, the program proposes to maintain a playground and provide some playthings to them. This will allow them for the overall well-being of the children. The community hall has to be renovated with the first aid toolbox. As per the community’s demand, an information literacy class for elderly Bankariya is also proposed. Climate-smart farming and nature-based farming are key to climate justice, the program proposes advanced-level Integrated Pest Management Training to freed bonded laborers and Raji Indigenous women who have received 20-week fundamental training this year. In the upcoming year, NIWF also aims at strengthening the National Forum of Indigenous Girls. This time, NIWF intends to support N-FIG in implementing its annual plans and activities as per our commitment to promoting youth initiatives. Also, we aim to establish Indigenous Girls Opportunity Fund Nepal that will offer a scholarship, and support in emergency cases such as at times of gender-based violence. NIWF also plans to work with young Indigenous Girls to raise awareness of their unique identity, and IW issues and also create a bridge to cover the gap in knowledge between the elder generation of IW and the younger generation of IG. Programs are targeted at young IG as to ensure that there is a younger generation of IW leaders and that the movement is not limited to the elder generation. This is an ongoing effort by NIWF to capacitate Indigenous Girls and transfer Indigenous knowledge to them.<br></p>