Climate Change

Climate change is one of the core pillars of the National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal (NIDWAN), as climate impacts are not experienced equally and disproportionately affect Indigenous women with disabilities due to intersecting inequalities related to gender, disability, indigeneity, geography, and poverty. In Nepal, approximately 7 million women have disabilities, with Indigenous women with disabilities facing heightened risks such as 75% food insecurity and 57.7% experiencing emotional, physical, or sexual violence, exacerbated by climate disasters. Being the first OPD accredited to UNFCCC, NIDWAN approaches climate action through an intersectional, rights-based, and justice-oriented lens, recognizing Indigenous women with disabilities not merely as victims of climate change, but as knowledge holders, leaders, and agents of change. By linking local realities with national and global advocacy, NIDWAN works to ensure that climate policies, programs, and financing mechanisms are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the lived experiences of Indigenous women with disabilities. Following are the focused prioritized sub-themes of Climate change NIDWAN has been working actively on. They are as follows:

1. Global Climate Advocacy and COP Participation :

Since 2015, NIDWAN has actively participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conferences of the Parties (COP), consistently raising the voices of Indigenous women with disabilities in global climate decision-making spaces. Through its engagement at COPs, including disseminating research findings at COP27, NIDWAN advocates for intersectional climate justice, inclusive climate finance, disability-responsive loss and damage mechanisms, and meaningful participation of Indigenous and disability-led organizations. NIDWAN’s presence in these global forums, such as contributing to the inclusion of terms like ‘women,’ ‘Indigenous peoples,’ and ‘persons with disabilities’ in the Paris Agreement, challenges the systemic exclusion of marginalized communities and ensures that global climate commitments reflect the realities and priorities of Indigenous women with disabilities from Nepal and beyond.

2. Research on Climate Change and Indigenous Women with Disabilities

NIDWAN places strong emphasis on research and evidence generation to address the critical knowledge gaps on how climate change affects Indigenous women with disabilities. Through community-based and participatory research approaches, such as the qualitative assessment in Ward 2 of Namobuddha Municipality, Kavre district, documenting cases of daily struggles, health impacts, and inaccessibility to services like disability cards, NIDWAN documents climate vulnerabilities, adaptive practices, and Indigenous knowledge systems, ensuring that disability and gender perspectives are embedded in climate discourse. This research, including studies on compounded intersectional impacts based on indigeneity, gender, and disability disseminated at COP27, not only informs policy advocacy but also strengthens the visibility, credibility, and leadership of Indigenous women with disabilities in climate resilience and adaptation planning at local and national levels.

3. Policy Advocacy, Movement-Building, and Inclusive Climate Action

Complementing its global engagement and research, NIDWAN undertakes policy advocacy and movement-building to influence climate governance structures at national and sub-national levels. NIDWAN works with government bodies, civil society networks, Indigenous movements, and international partners to promote gender-responsive and disability-inclusive climate policies, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and ensure access to climate resources for marginalized communities. By centering Indigenous women with disabilities in advocacy efforts, NIDWAN advances inclusive climate action that upholds human rights, amplifies marginalized voices, and contributes to sustainable and just climate solutions.