Events / Activities Details

Policy Dialogue on Food Security in Nepal: Gender Participation in Policy and Practice

On December 30, 2025, a Policy Dialogue on Food Security in Nepal: Gender Participation in Policy and Practice was held in Lalitpur, bringing together policymakers, government officials, academics, researchers, civil society representatives, and community leaders. The dialogue examined Nepal’s food security landscape through a gender lens, aiming to bridge the gap between policy commitments and lived realities.

Although Nepal’s Constitution guarantees the right to food sovereignty under Article 36 and progressive sectoral policies are in place, food insecurity and malnutrition persist, particularly among women, Dalits, Indigenous peoples, and marginalized farmers. Discussions underscored that food insecurity in Nepal is deeply gendered. Women, who form the backbone of agricultural labor and household nutrition management, continue to face unequal access to land, credit, markets, technology, and decision-making spaces.

Participants highlighted key barriers including unpaid care work, male outmigration, tokenistic participation of marginalized groups, unequal land ownership, weak inter-ministerial coordination, and gender-blind budgeting. While many existing programs adopt gender-responsive approaches, such as providing training or subsidies to women, they often fail to challenge underlying power structures and social norms that perpetuate inequality.

The dialogue emphasized the need to move beyond symbolic inclusion toward genuine, transformative participation. This requires normative change to address discriminatory social norms, institutional reforms that embed gender-transformative objectives into policies and budgets, and stronger accountability mechanisms to track shifts in power and agency. Stakeholders also stressed that gender equality is central to food security, not a secondary concern.

Concluding with a strong call for collaboration, participants committed to strengthening coordination across sectors and governance levels. The dialogue marked an important step toward aligning policy intent with practice and advancing inclusive, resilient, and gender-just food systems in Nepal.