Building collaborative engagement for gender-responsive and Indigenous-led climate adaptation 17-18 September 2026 | ICIMOD Headquarters, Lalitpur, Nepal

About the event

The Integrated Climate Adaptation Solutions for the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region (HI-CAS) is a multi-country project designed to enhance the climate resilience of vulnerable communities, particularly women, girls, Indigenous Peoples and marginalised communities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.

Supported by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) with implementing partners Arannayk Foundation, Bangladesh, Tarayana Foundation, Bhutan, and Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED), Nepal, the project integrates gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) with springshed management, renewable energy, and agrobiodiversity conservation to address locally identified climate risks. This project seeks to improve the livelihoods of approximately 40,000 Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) and reduce their vulnerability to climate change.

The project is establishing a GESI network comprising representatives from women’s rights organisations (WROs), IPLCs, and partner organisations in the project countries. The network is envisioned as a collaborative network for dialogue, knowledge exchange, co-creation of strategies, policy engagement, and advocacy. It will support the project in strengthening gender-responsive and Indigenous-led approaches while contributing evidence, lessons, and recommendations to advocate for climate adaptation policies and practices at local, national, and regional levels.

The two-day workshop will bring together participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal to build a strong and collaborative GESI network that promotes gender-responsive, inclusive and locally led climate adaptation through learning, sharing, and collective action.

Objectives:

•  Strengthen strategic collaboration among the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), HI-CAS partners, WROs, IPLCs, individual experts as technical knowledge partners to advance gender-responsive and locally led climate adaptation solutions at country and regional levels
•  Promote meaningful participation and leadership of women, IPLCs, and other disadvantaged groups in the co-design, implementation and learning processes of climate adaptation solutions
• Co-generate and share evidence, knowledge products, policy recommendations, and learning to advance GESI-responsive and locally led climate adaptation
• Promote the recognition and integration of Indigenous, women’s and intergenerational knowledge, practices, and locally grounded innovations, into climate policy and decision-making
• Strengthen the capacities of network members and relevant stakeholders through peer learning, technical exchange, and collaborative capacity development

Expected outcome

By the end of the workshop, participants will have

• established a shared vision and collaboration mechanism for the HI-CAS GESI network,
• agreed on priority areas of engagement
• identified opportunities for joint action
• developed an initial workplan to advance gender-responsive and locally led climate adaptation across Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal

Programme Agenda

Day 1 Building a shared vision and collaboration – 17 September 2026

•  Introducing HI-CAS, HI-CAS GESI strategy and network members.
• Identifying climate adaptation issues affecting women, IPLCs, and local communities across the project countries
• Discuss scope of work, expectations, and roles of the WROs, IPLCs and civil society organisations’ (CSOs) network in HI-CAS

Day 2 Co-designing collaboration and way forward – 18 September 2026

•  Define how the network will collaborate at national and regional levels, including communication channels, coordination mechanisms, and decision-making processes and identify any country-specific requirements or procedures
• Identify priority actions related to Indigenous and local knowledge, women’s leadership, GESI mainstreaming, and advocacy for GESI-responsive laws and policies related to climate resilience and Nature-based Solutions
• Develop network action plan and finalise collaboration framework