Inception Meeting with Province Government, Bagmati Province, Madhesh Province and Sudurpaschim Province

Conducted Dates inception Meetings

1. Bagmati Province: 8 May 2025
2. Madhesh Province:  13 May, 2025
3. Sudupaschim province: 14 May 2025

Access Planet Organization, in collaboration with UN Women Global, is implementing the project titled "Empowering Marginalized Women through Political Participation and Leadership Development in Diverse Provinces of Nepal." The project focuses on Madhesh, Bagmati, and Sudurpaschim Provinces, aiming to strengthen the leadership capacity of women from marginalized communities who are underrepresented in decision-making roles within both state and society. As part of the project’s initial activities, the organization conducted 'inception meetings with provincial governments' in these three provinces from May 8 to 14, 2025, with the objective of introducing the project to government stakeholders and building coordination for effective implementation.

Objectives of the meeting 

1. To inform provincial governments about the purpose, mandates, and planned activities of the project.
2. To assess the current status of marginalized women in leadership and decision-making roles.
3. To gather updates on existing schemes and policies related to women's empowerment under the Ministry of Social Development in each province.
4. To seek collaboration and support from provincial stakeholders for effective implementation of the project

At the beginning of each inception meeting, agendas were shared, followed by a brief presentation of the project by Access Planet. A common question raised by provincial government representatives across all three provinces was about how participants are selected from the community and what role the provincial government would play in project implementation. In response, Executive Director Laxmi Nepal explained that participants are selected through an open and inclusive process involving Google Forms, public announcements, coordination with stakeholders, and a focus on diversity and inclusion. She also emphasized the need to revise existing government policies from a Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) perspective and encouraged government collaboration in advocacy efforts. Several participants acknowledged the policy gaps in disability inclusion and expressed interest in working for women with disabilities if technical support is available.

Outputs

• The project was successfully introduced to provincial governments, fostering interest and engagement from key officials and stakeholders.
• The meetings were productive in fostering mutual understanding, exchanging ideas, and securing support from provincial governments for the successful implementation of the project.