Interviews with women activists in Nepal

These interviews with women activists in Nepal help us to gain a better understanding of their unique and inspirational lives. We learn about their backgrounds, who or what inspired them, what they have achieved and the challenges they have encountered. We find out about their work, their future plans and their advice to help other women in Nepal.

Chhing Lamu Sherpa

Chhing is a founding member of Mountain Spirit, Nepal Participatory Action Network (NEPAN), Imagine Nepal (Appreciative Inquiry Network), TEWA (Philanthropy for Equitable Justice and Peace), SAGUN (Search for Harmony) and other non profit organizations. She has worked in a number of jobs from teaching to working in a women's training centre of government, Action Aid Nepal, the Makalu Barun National Park and Conservation Project, and Plan International.

She is an advocate of participatory approaches and Appreciative Inquiry to the inclusive and gender sensitive development and was one of the thousand women nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.

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Chini Maya Majhi

Chini is the Secretary of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), Vice Chairperson of Majhi Upliftment Association and former President of National Indigenous Women’s Federation in Nepal (NIWF). Majhi is one of the 59 Indigenous Nationalities recognized by the Nepal government. The Majhis are still discriminated and excluded from mainstream development and politics in Nepal. Chini Maya has transcended threefold obstacles – of being a woman from a lower class family in a marginalized community – to become president of NIWF. She has been working for women’s empowerment since 2000.

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Durga Sob

Durga was just 10 when she realized she was from the Dalit, or ‘untouchable’, class of Nepal: ‘I drank from a water pot that other people used, and by sharing this water, I’d made it ‘unclean’. I was screamed at and chased away. I told my mother and she said: “God made us Dalit, that’s just the way it is.” It was then that I knew the pain of being a Dalit and had to do something to change things.’ The injustices experienced during her childhood in the remote village of Silgadi in western Nepal inspired Durga to found the Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) to fight against caste and gender. Durga is an inspiration to all women who seek to challenge discrimination and work towards a more just society.

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Sumitra Manandhar Gurung

Sumitra has over 30 years’ experience of working with integrated rural and development programmes, micro-credit, natural resource management and community participation of experience. She focuses on the inclusion of marginalised groups in the constitution making process in Nepal and had served as a member of the Screening Committee of Social Inclusion Research Fund (SIRF). Sumitra is also currently CEO of Mahila Sahayatra Microfinanfe Bittiya Sanstha Ltd., promoted by 100 women and four commercial banks dedicated to serve the remote areas of Nepal. She was also a co-founder and Chairperson of LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter (a non-government organization dedicated to the alleviation of urban poverty in Nepal through the improvement of shelter conditions). In addition to this she is a Steering Committee Member representing Civil Society in UNDP’s Collaborative Leadership Development for Peace Process.

Download the interview with Sumitra