Pokhara. NEFIN Climate Change Partnership Program organized a three days’ National Level Training-Workshop on Climate Change’ in Pokhara from May 10 to 12, 2023.

The main objective of the event was to make aware the indigenous peoples about national and international policies and advocate for ensuring the rights of indigenous peoples in climate action.

A total of 48 participants (19 women and 29 men) from different indigenous institutions namely secretariat of Federal Council of NEFIN, Province Coordination Council (PCC), and District Coordination Council (DCC) of NEFIN. Likewise, National Indigenous Women Federation (NIWF), Youth Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (YFIN), Nepal Indigenous Disable Association (NIDA), NGO-FONIN, Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Journalists’ (FoNIJ), Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Students’ Federation (NINSF), Annapurna Rural Municipality, and Madi Rural Municipality.

Mr. Gobinda Lama Hyolmo, the secretary of secretariat of Federal Council of NEFIN inaugurated the training-workshop in an indigenous way of opening events, by lighting up the butter lamp.

Mr. Dharma Bahadur Gurung, the chairperson of NEFIN-Gandaki/Gandaki PCC welcomed the participants. In his welcome remark, Mr. Gurung stressed the need of awareness and advocacy for the rights and issues of indigenous peoples in related with climate action while the program was run by Mr. Bimal Saru Magar, treasurer cum one of the resource persons of the event.

Mr. Tunga Bhadra Rai, Director ofNEFIN Climate Change Partnership Program and lead trainer of the event highlighted the objective of NEFIN Climate Change Program and of the event itself which was conducted in partnership with International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA).

In the training-workshop program he talked about indigenous peoples’ rights in the promotion of climate action, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The event was focused on the context of climate change, an overview of UNFCCC, Climate mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, REDD+ and REDD+ benefit sharing plan of Nepal, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of Nepal, climate finance, GCF, GCF Indigenous Peoples Policy, GCF projects and country programing in Nepal, and the Forest Regulation-2079 of Nepal.

Different experts and resource persons engaged in different entities and organizations made presentations during the sessions. The resources persons were Dr. Ram Chandra Kandel, the joint-secretary and chief at REDD+ Implementation Centre, Dr. RadhaWagle, the joint-secretary and Director General at Department of Plant Resources, MoFE and Mr. Arun Rai, IPs Expert. Mr. Sukhbir Thami and Mr. Tunga Rai were the lead trainers of the event.

Participants shared their community experiences in the context of climate change relating with indigenous peoples. Most of the participants were very much new for the climate change related issues so it was very much successful event.

In the closing session, Mr. Kchetra Bahadur Thakali, Vice-chairperson of NEFIN, Mr. MB Astha Magar, Incharge of FoNIJ-Gandaki and Mr. Suman Gurung, General Secretary of FoNIJ-Gandaki were present whereas the program was conducted by Mr. BimalSaruMagar, Treasurer of NEFIN.

Mr. Diwas Rai, General Secretary of NEFIN had explained the introduction of NEFIN and its objectives and ongoing activities.

Mr. Gelje Lama Sherpa, Chairperson of NEFIN congratulated the participants by distributing the certificates to each and every individual. He requested all the participants to use the knowledge and skills in their daily lives whatever they have gained from three days’ training-workshop.