Call for participants - Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women 2026

Time: 8:00 PM Nepal Standard Time (NPT, UTC +5:45)
Duration: 1 hour | Organiser: ICIMOD and IYRP Gender Working Group

REGISTRATION

Background

Pastoralist women play a critical role in sustaining rangelands, livestock systems, biodiversity, and community well-being across the world. Yet their knowledge, leadership, and priorities remain underrepresented in global policy spaces and decision-making processes related to pastoralism, land governance, climate action, and sustainable development.

The Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women, to be held from 26 to 29 May 2026 at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal, aims to address this gap by bringing together pastoral women from diverse regions, cultures, and pastoral systems. This webinar is organised to introduce the gathering, explain the call for participation, and ensure that pastoralist women and supporting organisations worldwide have equitable access to information and application support.

Objectives of the webinar

The webinar aims to:

1. Introduce the vision, objectives, and structure of the Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women 2026.
2. Explain the call for participation, including eligibility criteria, nomination pathways, and application requirements.
3. Share key dates, logistics, language options, and support available (travel, translation, and scholarships).
4. Encourage participation from pastoralist women across regions and groups, especially women from Indigenous groups and marginalised communities, youth and older pastoralist women, and women with limited prior access to global forums.
5. Provide space for questions, clarifications, and guidance on submitting strong applications.
6. Provide a platform and space for pastoralist women to take ownership and leadership of the Global Gathering and its outcomes beyond IYRP 2026.

Target audience

• Pastoralist women from nomadic, transhumant, semi-nomadic, and extensive livestock systems
• Indigenous and traditional pastoralist communities
• Pastoralist women’s organisations and networks
• NGOs, civil society organisations, and development partners supporting pastoralists
• Regional and global pastoral alliances interested in nominating participants

Tentative agenda

Facilitator: Brittany Jane Bunce, Postdoctoral Researcher, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain