Country:

Nepal

Date:

2020 - 2021

Implementor:

CIPRED / FECOFUN / NEFIN

Funding Amount:

29,780

Details:

Nepali legislators are in process of amending the country’s National Park and Wildlife Life Conservation Act 2039, as well as bringing its Conservation Area Management Regulations 2053 in line with the Local Government Operation Act (2017), which provides local governments jurisdiction over community forests and other natural resources. To leverage these new and important opportunities to introduce greater recognition of Indigenous and community rights across Nepal’s conservation areas, RRI Collaborator CIPRED conducted a policy review to inform community leaders and organizations of these changes. It is also preparing a field study on Nubri Valley to complement this review. Armed with these findings, Indigenous leaders from Ghandaki Province have submitted an appeal letter to the Chief Minister and other relevant ministries to incorporate the legal recognition of customary land tenure rights and practices in the Provincial Forest Act.  With RRI’s support, they now plan to continue their advocacy with relevant agencies and elected bodies at federal, provincial and local levels to develop and implement laws that fully recognize Indigenous Peoples’ customary laws and practices, and ultimately advance sustainable natural resource management traditional livelihoods in the country.