What is the issue?
Women in the Hindu Kush Himalaya have always played a central role in agriculture and natural resource managements. Despite this, women continue to face differential access and ownership to critical natural resources. Women are constrained by unequal power relations, gender-biased attitudes and norms, and sometimes, systematic exclusion and under-representation.
Why women?
Women´s traditional role in society limit their access to financial mechanisms, committees and markets as well as their ability to influence their own economic situation. Developing women entrepreneurship will diversify income sources and make the whole community more resilient towards natural disasters and impacts of climate change.
How do we do this?
By creating value chains around products that can be developed and produced by women, their economic status is likely to change, which can advance their social status.
Creating sound and viable value chains requires market analysis, identification and training of entrepreneurs, knowledge in sustainable business development, business registration and marketing and support network to exchange knowledge and ideas.
Bagmati Dhami started with only one handloom. Today, she owns her own Allo clothe weaving factory with orders from Nepal and India. She says the local community centre has provided her with many benifits for her business and given the women a place to come together to share their skills and help each other out.
Are there any challenges?
Many mountain communities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya have strong traditions and culture, often with clear and separate roles for women and men. Supporting women entrepreneurship might oppose local gender roles. Understanding and working within the local cultural context is important to avoid unnecessary resistance or social stigmatization of women participating in the initiative.
