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NATIONAL INDIGENOUS WOMEN'S FEDERATION:
Background:
Social exclusion based on gender has for centuries been an important part of nepali milieu. Similarly, social exclusion based on the ethnicity has been another reality in Nepal. Thus, Indigenous women or Adiwasi Janajati Women face social exclusion not only because of being women, but also because of their ethnicity. According to 2001 census, the total populaation of Nepal is 2,31,51,423 out of which more then half 1,15,87,502 (50.4%) are women and Adiwasi Janajati Women constitutes 43,45,314 (37.5%) ot the total women populatoin of Nepal. It is a well known fact that the state has not recognized the "Identity" of Adibasi Janajati Women, deprived them from policy making processes and has been included under the general term "Nepali Women". In addition, Adiwasi Janajati Women are marginalized and excluded from their human rights of being identified as Adiwasi Janajati Women and enjoy their full rights of being a self-identified groups of women in Nepal.

National Indigenous Women's Federation (NIWF) is a not-for-profit; voluntary membership based federal umbrella-organization, which is organized on a natinal level to addrtess issues of Indigenous Peoples' (IPs') women in support of their good. Task-oriented and made up of IP's women's organizations with a common interest. NIWF perform a variety ofservices and humanitarian functions, brings IPs' women's concerns to governments, monitor policy and programme implementation and encourage participation of Indigenous Peoples' Women at the community to national level of affairs. This organization is committed to the promotion and protection of the human rights of Janajati women of Nepal. There are 59 indigenous nationalities identified by the government of Nepal as per the Act of 2058 National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN), however a good deal of groups are making their voices heard for the identification as they are deprived of their rights of being recognized as separate Indigenous groups of Indigenous People.

National Indigenous Women's Federatoin (NIWF) is an umbrella organization of Janajati Women's organization that has been established in 2055 BS as a part of civil society movement in Nepal and it was registered in 2057 BS (2000 AD) at the District Administration Office, Kathmandu. NIWF is also affiliated with the social welfare council. Since its inception, NIWF has been a part of the Janajati Women's movement and has as such been active in advocacy activities.

Organogram (Structure):
There will be a secretariat with the following structure of NIWF for smoothly executing the decision of Federal Council. Six mambers are elected from the council once in year. who arer responsible as Secretary-General. Four secretaries and one additional Secretary and the Chairperson is supposed to be selected on the basis on date affiliation from among the organization affiliated to this organization.

Affiliated Member Organization:
NIWF and its member organization have been participating in indigenous people's movement. 19 indigenous women's organizations are affiliated under this umbrella organization. Following are the list of affiliated organization:
S.N. Name of Organization Location Central Belt Ecological
1. Nepal Magar Women's Association Magar Kathmandu Mostly Hill
2. Sunuwar Women's Association Sunuwar Kathmandu Hill
3. Nepal Kirant (Rai) Women's Association Rai Kathmandu Hill & Mountain
4. Nepal Tamang Women's Association Tamang Kathmandu Hill & Mountain
5. Thakali Women's Association Thakali Kathmandu Mountain
6. Kumal Women Society Reform Committee Kumal Kathmandu Inner Terai & Terai
7. Dolpo Women's Association Dolpo Kathmandu Mountain
8. Danuwar Women's Community Reform Union Danuwar Udaypur Inner Terai
9. Nepal Sherpa Women's Federation Sherpa Kathmandu Mountain
10. Nepal Pahari Women's Development Federation Pahari Lalitpur Hill
11. Meche Women Upliftment Federation Meche Jhapa Terai
12. Rajbanshi Women's Society Rajbansi Morang Terai
13. Kirat Yaakthung Chumlung Limbu Kathmandu Hill
14. Nepal Majhi Mahila Utthaan Sangh Majhi Kathmandu Terai/Hill
15. Nepal Bhasa Misha Khala Newar Kathmandu Hill
16. Nepal Tamu Mahila Sangh Gurung Kathmandu Hill
17. Tharu Mahila Jaagaran Kendra Tharu Kathmandu Terai
18. Lhomi Mahila Kalyan Manch Lhomi Kathmandu Mountain
19. Walung Mahila Sangh Walung Kathmandu Mountain


Goal:
The main goal of NIWF is to ensure rights of indigenous women for equal participation in national development process of the country with their distinct identification as indigenous peoples women.

Objectives:

  1. To advocate for identification of indigenous women as as separate group of people as indigenous women contributing to the national building process of the country.
  2. To advocate on the status of indigenous women, in their equal treatment before laws of the land, resources and rights to education in one's mother tongue.
  3. To sensitise the state on the importance of promoting and respecting Janajati Women's rights by remobing barriers and creating an appropriate institutional environment.
  4. To support indigenous women's organization for lobby and advocacy against caste and gender discrimination.
  5. To create awarness among indigenous womenon their rights and to strengthen the indigenous women's organization.
  6. To preserve and promote indigenous women's indentities (culture, language, dress etc.).

Strategy:
NIWF is working different level strategy to advocate the indigenous women's rights and claim rightful place in the national development process. The first pillar is to organize strengthen indigenous women's organization to advocate the rights in national level and second pillar is forming local level alliance/network to advocate the loacal indigenous women's rights. The thire pillar is empowerment of indigenous women for social inclusion. The strategy of empowerment and inclusin has also potential for forgin micro-macro linkages i.e. linking local issues with national policies and vice versa.

On-goin Activities:
NIWF initiated the Empowerment and Inclusion of Janajati Women (EIJW), project from 1st of December 2006 with funding support of Danida/HUGOU. The tenure of the project is 21 months. Ther project aims at capacity development of NIWF and its member organizations and to engage in empowerment and promotionof social inclusionof Janajati Women. Capacity development will involve both organizational development and capacity building. Organizational development is to development of policies, procedures, systems and structures, institutional governance, organizational management and other OD areas of NIWF. Capacity building is to involve identification of needs and inplementation of capacity building measures (training, seminars/workshops, exposure visits and internships) based on identified needs.

In the present changing national perspective of inclusive democracy and restructuring of the nation NIWF with the support of EIJW has also organized various advocacy activities to draw the attention of government on indigenous women's rights. It has been lobbying and advocating on indigenous women's rights at national level with the government. Hon. Members of the parliament, political parties etc. At the local level through NIWF's district co-irdination council/alliances and networks it has been advocating and lobbying with local government for the inclusion of Adibasi Janajati women. The Janajati Talks Team (which consists of NIWF's General Secretary) is lobbying with the government for inclusion of Adibasi Janajati Women's rights and is one of the major activities on NIWF at present.

NIWF has been working various events to ensure the indigenous women's rights in national and local level.

1. National Level:
NIWF member organizations have identified the indigenous women's issues/problems and demend to be addressed as under:

Issues/Problems of Adibasi Janajati Women

  1. The identification of indigenous women as a separate group of peoples in the Nepalese Society.
  2. The participation of indigenous women in the state machinery (executive, legislative, judiciary other constitutional bodies and bureaucracy) is almost nil. There has not been any attempt from responsible sides to reform the system.
  3. Ther present laws and acts have not accorded recognition to indigenous women's fundamental rights. Due to the partriarchy (Hindu culture) influences, even among indigenous communities, discrimination between sons and daughters is widening. Even the basic needs as well as other fights of indigenous have being neglected.
  4. The number of trafficked indigenous women is the maximum. No efforts have been made to address the casual factors of such trafficking.
  5. Lack of representationof indigenous women in administration, civil service, judiciary and other decision-making process.
  6. Lack of recognition as wellas entitlement to ancestral lands, territories, resources. No rights to our ancestral land/territories that is the sole basis of women livelihood.
  7. The government has not incorporated indigenous women issues in implementing Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA), Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
  8. The conflict has highly affected the indigenous women on their livelihoods, social security, health, education and settlement.
  9. No disaggregated data by caste/ethnicity including GO/INGO/NGO's.
  10. Lack of documentationand research on indigenous women's identity.

NIWF has been advocating the issues of indigenous women through member organization in national level.

  • NIWF role in Indigenous People's Movement:

    • The Indigenous Women's Movement is an integral and inherent part of the indigenous people's rights. They have been part of the indigenous movement both at home and nation since it began, but it is only recently those indigenous women's organizations have started to raise voices fo their rights, recognition, priorities and concerns.

  • Lobby/Advocacy on Indigenous Women's Rights:

    • NIWF have organised the various advocacy activities to draw the attention of government on indigenous women's rights.

2. Local Level:
Alliance/network for indigenous women's rights in local level:
The NIWF has formed District Coordination Council (DCC) of NIWF and it had also formed alliance/network of district-level civil society organisations to address the women's rights in 10 districts funding support of Danida/HUGOU.

Niwf also has been working in 10 districts with funding support of USID grant, Academic for Educational Development (AED) project in 'Empowerment of Indigenous Women in the Processof Inclusive Democracy and Restructuring of the Nation'.


These alliance has been working to coordinate and cooperate with local-line agencies, political parties, development agencies and civlil societies to address the indigenous women's advocacy issues in local level. The alliance also advocating and lobbying with the DDC and VDC to address the problem/issues of endangered and highly marginalized indigenous women.


District Level NIWF District Coordination Council (NIWF-DCC)
(Alliance of indigenous women's district level organisation)


District Level Alliance/Network
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