Minorities in Nepal have been ignored in mainstreaming and participatory natural resources management. Suggestions are: • • • • • • • • • • Nepal is already being affected by climate change even though it has contributed almost nothing to global carbon emissions. Nepal is heavily affected as water comes from snow melt / monsoon rains and both of these are being affected badly by climate change. Becoming unpredictable and high fluctuations between drought and excessive rain causing floods (if anyone wants more data refer them to ICIMOD including the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment https://lib.icimod.org/record/34383 ). Community forestry (and leasehold forestry) in Nepal has increased forest cover but now needs to be supported by climate finance that is suitable for communities I.e. REDD+ and other financing needs to go beyond the national government to provinces and communities with a much reduced burden of administration. Focus not only on cover but on soil carbon and improving quality of forests (link to biodiversity). Nepal remains a Least Development Country and any climate finance should be grants not loans. Wider development challenges remain including water, sanitation, food security, access to land and for those moving to urban centres education / training / jobs that do not discriminate. Need to focus on the implementation of national laws and policies including nondiscrimination against Dalits, women, other marginalised groups. Civil society – especially Nepali and community focused – needs to be supported to ensure that Dalits, women and marginalized peoples have the capacity and opportunity to take part actively in any climate / land use planning / development activities so that their needs are addressed. Forest are conserved by local community including Dalit,women, and indegnous people but has been controlled by the government and Nepali army. But the issue is related with human right violences and women are killed for feelings of unsafe and security. Gender and diversity: Issue of intersectionality vital to understand for Dalit women who face multiple discrimination. In relation to businesses this means that they must address basic issues such as access to water / toilets / hygiene /safe spaces for women. Think about requirements for informal waste workers or those who work at the brick factories. Access to even the most basic facilities are not there which increase risks for women and girls. Need good evidence and participation of the affected people in work with businesses so that provision (and maintenance of the provision) is in line with the requirements of women / girls. For the session on racism this is more tricky as caste discrimination is often not included specifically here (or other places). Ensuring that racial discrimination elimination work includes caste based discrimination would be an important issue here. But it might be good to listen to the experiences of others in this area and what might then ‘translate’ into approaches for addressing caste discrimination in businesses e.g. milk production and sale where high caste people won’t buy milk from Dalit households / production facilities, especially for any religious purposes.