Reducing gender inequality in urban water management in Nepal

Studies indicate that traditional gender roles are perpetuated in urban transition through patriarchal structures and institutions. Pre-existing gender norms reinforce hurdles for inclusive and equitable participation in water management in the urban context in Nepal. This brief is based on the analysis of water policies, as well as the narratives of men and women involved in drinking water management practices. Findings from the research shows gender inequality is worsening. Although women’s increased representation in local government has led to positive outcomes in voicing women’s concerns in water governance, gender equality interventions are treated as one time and ad-hoc without any clear theory of change.Climate & Development Knowledge NetworkLocal Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI

Water security in times of disaster risks : strengthening community-led initiatives in urban settings

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bidur (Nepal) residents relied on smaller community-managed water supply systems. Government lockdowns barred travel for technicians (along with most people), and machines used by larger projects having technical problems could not be repaired. The Bidur model offers a powerful example for built-in resilience. Large water supply systems are important but susceptible to risks like landslides. Municipalities need urgent technical support in water security planning. A study of Bidur residents’ households with access to alternative water sources supplied through smaller community-led projects were less affected by the 2015 earthquake

Policy without politics: technocratic control of climate change adaptation policy making in Nepal

As developing countries around the world formulate policies to address climate change, concerns remain as to whether the voices of those most exposed to climate risk are represented in those policies. Developing countries face significant challenges for contextualizing global-scale scientific research into national political dynamics and downscaling global frameworks to sub-national levels, where the most affected are presumed to live. This article critiques the ways in which the politics of representation and climate science are framed and pursued in the process of climate policy development, and contributes to an understanding of the relative effectiveness of globally framed, generic policy mechanisms in vulnerable and politically volatile contexts. Based on this analysis, it also outlines opportunities for the possibility of improving climate policy processes to contest technocratic framing and generic international adaptation solutions.Policy relevanceNepal's position as one of the countries most at risk from climate change in the Himalayas has spurred significant international support to craft climate policy responses over the past few years. Focusing on the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and the Climate Change Policy, this article examines the extent to which internationally and scientifically framed climate policy in Nepal recognizes the unfolding political mobilizations around the demand for a representative state and equitable adaptation to climate risks. This is particularly important in Nepal, where political unrest in the post-conflict transition after the end of the civil war in 2006 has focused around struggles over representation for those historically on the political margins. Arguing that vulnerability to climate risk is produced in conjunction with social and political conditions, and that not everyone in the same locality is equally vulnerable, we demonstrate the multi-faceted nature of the politics of representation for climate policy making in Nepal. However, so far, this policy making has primarily been shaped through a technocratic framing that avoids political contestations and downplays the demand for inclusive and deliberative processes. Based on this analysis, we identify the need for a flexible, contextually grounded, and multi-scalar approach to political representation while also emphasizing the need for downscaling climate science that can inform policy development and implementation to achieve fair and effective adaptation to climate change

Engaging Bourdieu and Habermas to reframe forest governance in Nepalese Terai

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo