Mainstreaming Women’s Economic Empowerment and Leadership in Community Forest Management, Bagmati Province, Nepal

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The Women Rights and Resources Network (WRRN), with support from the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), successfully implemented a series of activities focused on strengthening women’s leadership, participation, and livelihood opportunities in community forestry across Bagmati Province. These activities included a baseline survey assessing the status of women-led Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), a province-level policy dialogue with parliamentarians and the Ministry of Forest, Environment, Tourism and Industry, and exposure and learning initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable forest-based enterprises and inclusive governance. Through field assessments, stakeholder consultations, and collaborative discussions, the program highlighted existing challenges faced by women in community forestry while also identifying opportunities for economic empowerment, policy improvement, and sustainable natural resource management. The activities collectively contributed to enhancing awareness, encouraging women’s participation in decision-making, and promoting community-driven approaches for equitable forest governance and livelihood development in Nepal.