Overview
Women-led organizations (WLOs) are integral to the Nepali community, responding to issues ranging from violence against women to disaster response and different issues related with public health. They are frontline responders of violence against women and disaster response from women’s perspective. WLOs not only provide critical support and response services, they are also the pillars of community movement building and social transformation as they fight against social injustice and human rights violation. WLOs in Nepal have also contributed a lot for political and legal awareness building among women contributing to women’s civil and political rights.
Despite their significant contributions, WLOs frequently encounter substantial obstacles in accessing the resources necessary for their operations, including human resources, financial support, and technical knowledge. This happens because access and access to resources is also a political issue which is impacted by power and privilege. WLOs in Nepal, as in many parts of the world, operate with limited support and face systemic barriers, non-recognition of their knowledge and operational skill leading to face several constraints to accessing the needed resources. There is very little investment in WLOs institutional and technical capacity building. These challenges are exacerbated by intersectional factors such as geographic isolation, language barriers, and socio-cultural dynamics that limit their visibility and influence. This report presents findings from a survey conducted by WOREC Nepal between May and July 2024, aimed at understanding the barriers and challenges that women-led organizations in Nepal face getting recognized as capable human resources with adequate knowledge, expertise and skills despite their decade’s long contribution in social transformation and community movement building. This survey was initiated in the context of a growing recognition of the importance of grassroots organizations in promoting gender equality and community resilience without much discussion on how they are being systematically pushed back. The findings highlight these challenges, providing a crucial understanding of the needs and constraints of WLOs in Nepal and offering insights into potential avenues for enhancing their access to resources and strengthening their impact on communities.
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