On 21 July 2026, SALASAN Nepal, in partnership with the National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF), organized an orientation on the revised climate change flipchart for Indigenous Women Climate Leaders from Bhumlu and Chaurideurali Rural Municipalities of Kavrepalchok District. The orientation was organized in Kathmandu

The flipchart was updated following recommendations from Indigenous Women Group (IWG) leaders to make the content more accessible, practical, and responsive to local realities. The revised version simplifies technical information through clear illustrations and easy-to-understand messages while incorporating new content on the gendered impacts of climate change, Indigenous knowledge systems, and locally relevant adaptation practices.

Although the orientation coincided with the peak plantation season, 16 of the 26 Indigenous Women Climate Leaders participated. To ensure continuity and expand local capacity, climate groups nominated replacement participants from their respective groups, resulting in 10 additional women leaders receiving training. This approach strengthened the pool of local women equipped to promote gender equality and climate change awareness within their communities.

The orientation was facilitated by Ms. Banu Shrestha, consultant, using a participatory learning approach that encouraged discussion, knowledge sharing, and practical reflection. Participants actively exchanged experiences, shared Indigenous knowledge and practices, and discussed locally led solutions to the climate challenges affecting their communities.

The revised flipchart serves as a practical resource covering climate change, its disproportionate impacts on Indigenous women, and adaptation measures for everyday use. It also includes dedicated sections on Indigenous culture, traditional knowledge and practices, and strategies to sustain community-led climate initiatives, strengthen climate groups, and continue the leadership of Indigenous Women Climate Leaders beyond the project period.

A key focus of the orientation was sustainability. Participants discussed ways to strengthen collaboration with local governments, advocate for the integration of climate actions into local development and planning processes, and prepare proposals to access ward-level budgets for community-led climate initiatives. These efforts are expected to enhance local ownership and ensure the long-term continuation of climate actions led by Indigenous women.

The orientation successfully enhanced participants' knowledge, facilitation skills, and confidence to conduct awareness sessions in their communities. By using the revised flipchart as an interactive learning tool, Indigenous Women Climate Leaders are now better prepared to reach more women and community members with practical information on climate change, gender equality, and locally driven adaptation solutions, contributing to more resilient and inclusive communities.

On 20 July 2026, for Indigenous women climate leaders (IWG ) from Balephi and Indrawati Rural Municipalities in Sindhupalchowk District. Facilitated by climate change consultant Ms. Banu Shrestha, the training brought together 24 representatives from 12 Indigenous women climate groups. The event enhanced participants' knowledge of climate change and strengthened their capacity to facilitate community awareness using the revised flipchart.

The revised flipchart is designed to strengthen the capacity of Indigenous Women's Group (IWG) leaders to effectively facilitate community learning and advocate for gender equality and climate resilience within their communities.

Orientation on the revised flipchart and the interactive sessions strengthened participants' knowledge of climate change, its impacts, and practical adaptation and mitigation measures. 

The revised flipchart covers gender equality and climate change, with a particular focus on Indigenous Peoples' knowledge, experiences, and vulnerabilities, as well as the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change. It serves as a practical resource to strengthen the capacity of Indigenous Women's Group (IWG) leaders to facilitate community awareness and advocate for gender-responsive climate action.

The orientation also examined the disproportionate impacts of climate change on Indigenous women, particularly women farmers, including increased workloads, mental health challenges, crop diseases that threaten livelihoods and food security, and the depletion of water sources, which compels women to travel longer distances to collect water. These discussions strengthened participants' understanding of gendered climate impacts and enhanced their capacity to advocate for gender-responsive climate adaptation and resilience within their communities.

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.