National Indigenous Women Forum at the 4th Asia Pacific Feminist Forum in Chiang Mai Thailand
2024-09-12

From 12-14 September 2024, NIWF’s Executive Director, Ms. Dwarika Thebe, Field Coordinator, Ms. Sanila Lama, Mentor Ms. Mala Rai, and Young Researcher Ms. Sabnam Lama represented NIWF at the 4th Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF) held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Organized by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law, and Development (APWLD), this significant tri-annual event brings together feminists, activists, and Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) from across Asia and the Pacific to discuss, share experiences, and strategize transformative actions for social change. The forum focuses on critical issues such as gender equality, environmental justice, human rights, and economic empowerment, providing a collaborative space for attendees to forge alliances and collectively address regional and global challenges.As part of their contribution to this transformative platform, Ms. Thebe and Ms. Lama facilitated a workshop titled "Women in Our Power Fighting for Climate Justice: Weaving Our Stories of Struggles and Visions for a Truly Equitable and Sustainable Planet." This interactive session provided a creative and reflective space where participants could explore and share their experiences of climate justice. The workshop centered on how women, especially Indigenous women and marginalized communities, are disproportionately affected by climate change. To encourage deeper engagement, participants were divided into five groups, each representing different countries, and tasked with creating artistic representations of their nation's specific climate justice issues. These groups utilized various forms of visual expression—such as drawings, collages, and posters—to highlight the most pressing environmental challenges they faced, including deforestation, rising sea levels, water scarcity, and the displacement of Indigenous communities.In addition to facilitating their workshop, the NIWF team participated in several other sessions organized during the APFF, each addressing key feminist and environmental issues. Among the sessions they attended were "Women Rise Up: Agroecology Practices of Rural Women in Asia," which discussed the role of rural women in sustainable agriculture, and "Trafficking the Money of Climate False Solutions," which critiqued the financial mechanisms behind inadequate global responses to climate change. Another thought-provoking workshop, "Good Feminist/Bad Citizen: Interrogating the Personal and Political," delved into the complex intersections of feminist activism and citizenship. The session "Indigenous Sisters: Remembering Together to Resist Together" was particularly impactful, as it focused on how Indigenous women can draw on shared histories of oppression and resistance to strengthen collective efforts in fighting for their rights.After the APFF, on 15 September 2024, the NIWF team attended the Regional Migrants Convening Meeting. During this meeting, NIWF provided crucial insights from the perspective of Nepali Indigenous women, focusing on the specific challenges faced by migrant and returnee women in the context of labor rights, exploitation, and social reintegration.Through their active participation in workshops, discussions, and cultural exchanges at the APFF, the NIWF team contributed to shaping the collective feminist agenda for the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing the central role of Indigenous women in the fight for climate justice, gender equality, and human rights.