Human rights promotion and protection is a top concern for FECOFUN. FECOFUN has set itself as an innovator and advance organization to practice Gender Equality and Social Inclusion from Federal to local FECOFUN chapters representing 50 percent women with equally divided portfolios in the Executive Committee including people from all regions, Dalits, indigenous peoples, minority groups, differently-abled people, and poor.

FECOFUN has conducted various trainings/ workshops/ interaction programs/ Advocacy to mainstream gender and social justice in biodiversity conservation, natural resource management and the climate change sector. FECOFUN through its regular interventions as per the strategic plan, the number of initiatives have been done and achieved success in mainstreaming GESI leadership in NRM sector.

Some of the major works convened by FECOFUN in the sector of GESI leadership and mainstreaming are illustrated below:

Organizational Structure: FECOFUN has its GESI strategy, Anti-harassment Policy, Anti- GBV guidelines and is committed to promoting GESI as per its constitution. FECOFUN has at least 50 percent women representation with equally divided portfolios in the Executive Committee in all chapters including people from all regions, Dalits, Indigenous peoples, minority groups, differently-abled people, and the poor. Executive members of FECOFUN are selected based on inclusivity mentioned in the constitution as: Indigenous Peoples: 4 Women and 4 Men, Dalit: 2 Women and 2 Men, Madhesi: 2 Women and 2 Men, Tharu: 1 Woman and 1 Man, Minority: 1 Woman and 1 Man, Muslim: 1 Woman and 1 Man, differently abled People: 1 Woman and 1 Man and Pro-Poor: 1 woman and 1 man.

Policy Advocacy: FECOFUN has been continuously advocating for at least 50% inclusive women leadership in every sector. Because of the continuous advocacy of FECOFUN, it was successful in including 50 % women representation in leadership positions at CFUGs provisioning at the Forest Act. Similarly, although the initial Forest Regulation 2022 was regressive regarding women’s leadership, FECOFUN’s continuous advocacy led to amendments that secured leadership positions for women. The amended regulation now requires at least one woman to hold a position between chairperson and secretary and at least one woman between vice chairperson and treasurer in CFUGs.

Leadership Position:  852 women CFUGs leaders have been elected in the local, provincial, and federal government while 343 Dalits and 1047 Indigenous peoples working in CFUGs and FECOFUN are elected in and in the local, provincial, and federal government.

GESI leadership training: FECOFUN with the support of FAO- BRCRN project implements Gender and Social Inclusion Mainstreaming activities at different levels (Federal, Provincial, and local levels in 26 river system areas with the main objective to promote gender equality and social inclusion. FECOFUN prepared a three-day training module for GESI empowerment and leadership training. The trainings were targeted to CBO executive committee members, CFUG leaders, CBO group members, women, Dalit and indigenous groups. The three-day trainings in 26 river systems were conducted based on the developed training module. Similarly, women leadership and communication trainings were convened in support of Hariyo Ban Program funded by USAID in September 2019. Women Leadership Training on Climate Change and REDD+ were also conducted with the support of RECOFTC/NORAD in June-July 2015. Series of Intensive training and Workshops related to gender justice and collective land rights were conducted with the support of Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) in August – December 2021. Besides, training on climate change adaptation and mitigation for women leaders of local community groups and local government were convened in each district Middle Karnali Watershed area with the support of the Paani Project funded by USAID in June-July 2021.

Economic Empowerment of Women and Socially Excluded Groups: FECOFUN supports for the women and marginalized groups focus livelihood promotion activities and forest-based enterprise promotion for their economic empowerment and leadership development.

GESI Mainstreaming: FECOFUN drafted CFUGs level GESI strategy and shared to the CFUGs of working areas and facilitated to pass the GESI strategy for mainstreaming GESI in NRM sector. Similarly, FECOFUN also facilitated to form anti- GBV subcommittee at CFUGs and provide one day leadership training including the topics like background of GBV, types of GBV, current status of gender-based violence, Legal provisions regarding GESI and GBV (Constitution, Forest acts and regulation, Environment related policies and other legal instruments) and possible role of anti-GBV subcommittee to address GBV in community forest and around. Till date, 589 CFUGs have passed the GESI strategy and 928 CFUGs have formed anti-GBV subcommittee and 975 CFUGs have selected the GESI focal point.