Training of Trainers on integrating GESI into springshed management

About the event

The Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) of ICIMOD is organising a Training of Trainers (TOT) on integrating Gender Equality and Socially Inclusive (GESI) into springshed management to build a pool of resource persons from key government agencies, non-government organisations and academic institutions, including partners in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. This workshop aims to equip the participants with skills to integrate GESI considerations into planning, implementation, monitoring and impact assessments of springshed management.

The event is supported by the United Kingdom International Development through its Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Objectives

The specific objectives of the training are to:

• Strengthen participants’ understanding of GESI concepts and their practical application in the context of springshed management
• Build facilitation and adult learning skills, with focus on participatory and inclusive training methods suitable for diverse stakeholders
• Deepen knowledge on GESI-responsive practices and approaches in springshed management, drawing on experiences from the HKH countries
• Equip participants to identify gaps and barriers in the integration of GESI integration within the current springshed management initiatives, and guide others in doing the same during their own training
• Support participants in developing action plans for programmatic and institutional results for effective GESI integration on springshed interventions

Expected outcomes

A trained pool of resource persons who are equipped with both technical knowledge and facilitation skills to lead, replicate, and institutionalise GESI-responsive approaches in springshed management planning and implementation.

Background

Springs are a critical source of freshwater for millions of people living in the hilly and mountainous regions of the HKH. They provide essential water for drinking, domestic use, irrigation, and livestock, and play a key role in maintaining ecological balance by sustaining river base flows, supporting biodiversity, and delivering ecosystem services. In many areas, springs also carry deep cultural and spiritual significance.

However, over recent decades, the flow of numerous springs has declined due to a combination of factors, including deforestation, land use change, climate variability, and unsustainable development practices. This has intensified water scarcity across rural and peri-urban landscapes, disproportionately affecting women and marginalised groups who bear the responsibility of water collection and household water management.

While the urgency of springshed management is increasingly recognised in policy, research, and field-based initiatives across the HKH, efforts often lack a systematic focus on GESI. Women, Indigenous groups, and other socially excluded communities are frequently left out of decision-making processes, limiting the effectiveness, sustainability, and equity of springshed interventions.

Integrating GESI into springshed revival and management is therefore essential not only for ensuring inclusive participation and leadership, but also for enhancing the resilience and adaptive capacity of communities facing climate and water-related challenges. This event seeks to address this gap by building the capacity of key government agencies, non-government organisations, academic institutions and partners in the HKH region, equipping them to incorporate GESI considerations into every stage of springshed management from planning and implementation to monitoring and impact evaluation.

Target group

The training will target 25–28 participants from the key government agencies, non-government organisations, and academic institutions, including partners from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, with at least 60% female representation.

Course programme

The five-day training will cover fundamental concepts of GESI and its integration into the six-step protocol of springshed management through expert-led sessions, group work, panel discussion and knowledge sharing with real-life case examples from the HKH region. Four days will be dedicated to class-based learning, and one day to a field visit to apply the learning in practice.