Abstract
Climate change disproportionately affects Indigenous women due to structural inequalities in access to resources, decision-making, and institutional support. Yet these women are not merely vulnerable; they are critical agents of climate resilience. This paper examines how empowered Indigenous women strengthen household-level climate resilience in Nepal’s Chepang community, a forest-dependent group facing acute climate stress. Grounded in feminist political ecology and ecofeminist theory, the study employs two analytical frameworks: a multidimensional model of women’s empowerment (economic, socio-cultural, familial, legal, political, and psychological) and the 3As model of resilience (anticipatory, absorptive, and adaptive capacities). Findings underscore the need for policy frameworks that prioritize multidimensional empowerment as a prerequisite for resilience, particularly in marginalized communities. The paper calls on scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to shift away from top-down approaches and toward solutions that are locally rooted, socially just, and ecologically sustainable.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Human Impacts and Responsibility
KEYWORDS
Climate Change, Adaptive Capacity, Women's Empowerment, Indigenous Community
