Nepal

Asia

2018-2019

FECOFUN The Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal

$48,811

With funding from the SRM, RRI engaged with newly elected government officials in the context of Nepal’s transition to a three-tier government structure. Results include:

• One national-level, and three regional-level forums with various government officials, FECOFUN, Green Foundation Nepal’s leadership, forestry experts, and other CSOs to clarify the role of local government officials and FECOFUN under the new government structure. It was decided that sustainable forest management and forest protection will be nationally led by FECOFUN. Discussions were also held around technical implementation of the local level model at the regional level.
• The drafting of model Forest Law for local government.
• The selection of ten municipalities to participate in the implementation of the model community forest law; five local governments collaborated with the mayors and deputy mayors to prepare for implementation.
• An awareness-raising event in Kathmandu, attended by the Federal Minister of Forestry, where details around restructuring the forestry sector to be more oriented towards local and indigenous communities were discussed in depth.
• The “Women First Campaign”, which was attended by over 200 women from CFUGs, CSOs, and government officials. The campaign celebrated the contributions that women have made to forestry in Nepal and focused on knowledge sharing about the draft Forest Rights Law and the specific caveats for women’s individual and collective forest rights.