Members of the Chepang community from Hekrang, Dhading District, Nepal. Photo by Author. Used with permission.

According to the National Statistical Office 2021 Census of Nepal, Indigenous Peoples comprise 36 percent of the total population. The government recognizes 59 communities as Indigenous under the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN) Act, 2002. Additionally, two Indigenous groups were added in 1998 through the ordinance of the Rastriya Janajati Bikas Samiti (Gathan Adesh) 2054.

As officials look to revise Nepal’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), which provides a strategic framework for the conservation of Nepal's biodiversity, they are holding ongoing conversations, consultations and feedback-sharing sessions. Advocates say this is an opportune moment to ensure the meaningful inclusion, recognition, and participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in Nepal, who are often left out of meaningful discussions and decision-making processes.

Custodians of biodiversity

Indigenous peoples have always lived in close connection with the land, including forests, hills, wetlands, interior islands, deserts, and snow-covered regions. They are the custodians, guardians, and protectors of biodiversity.

According to the 2019 Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report, Indigenous peoples, who make up 6.2 percent of the global population, contribute to safeguarding 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity.

For millennia, Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) have maintained a deep relationship with nature. Their lands, territories, and waters harbour the most critical remaining biodiversity, providing essential services to humanity. IPLCs also practice spiritual beliefs and traditions that contribute to regeneration and restoration.

Studies indicate that securing Indigenous peoples’ rights to their lands, territories, and resources benefits not only their communities but also the broader environment and global efforts to combat climate change. Examples of Indigenous practices include shifting cultivation, Ubholi and Udhouli (seasonal migration practices), and rotational cropping systems. These practices play a role in biodiversity conservation, restoration, and regeneration.

Nepal serves as a model for community-led conservation through its Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), which allows communities to actively decide on conservation plans for their forested areas. With over 23,026 groups actively participating, they contribute significantly to forest restoration, fire control, and biodiversity management.

Nepal's IPLCs have demanded officials revise the NBSAP to integrate Indigenous issues into national targets and indicators. Their demand is that this revision should acknowledge and incorporate their traditional knowledge and rights while recognizing Indigenous peoples as rights holders rather than merely stakeholders.

A women takes goats to jungle for grazing in Jimling, Korak, Rapti Municipality -11, Chitwan district of Nepal. Photo by Author. Used with permission.

Existing challenges and constraints

An estimated 65 percent of the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples are now occupied by protected areas, such as national parks and wildlife reserves, which have forcibly displaced Indigenous communities from their lands. In Nepal, acts, regulations, and policies are increasingly becoming more corporate-friendly rather than Indigenous-friendly.

For instance, the approval of the policy on “Construction of Physical Infrastructure Inside Protected Areas” in January 2024 permits hydropower developers to build projects entirely within protected areas, release minimal water during the dry season, and acquire land more easily. The government’s forest policies and the National Parks Act are often not supportive of Indigenous peoples, sometimes restricting their access to critical resources.

Moreover, the narratives surrounding development have shifted, with Indigenous peoples being portrayed as “anti-development”, further marginalizing their voices and disregarding their perspectives on sustainable growth.

The issues faced by Indigenous peoples are further exacerbated by conflicting policies across the three tiers of government in Nepal. For instance, the federal government retains exclusive authority over national parks and wildlife reserves, while the management of national forests falls under provincial jurisdiction. This division can lead to conflicts when local governments attempt to implement conservation measures that contradict federal policies, particularly when local priorities differ from national objectives.

In a face-to-face interview with the Chairperson of the Nepal Indigenous Disabled Association (NIDA), Khadka Saru Magar stated, “Indigenous people with disabilities are neither engaged nor involved in decision-making. Their representation is merely symbolic, with their participation limited to superficial involvement.”

Image by the author. Used with permission.

IPLCs push for greater a voice in NBSAP revisions

IPLCs want the upcoming NBSAP revisions to adhere to the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 169, and other treaties and frameworks ratified by Nepal. Ensuring their land rights and recognizing their historical and ongoing management of ecosystems is one of the most effective ways to protect biodiversity. Customary practices play a crucial role in reducing deforestation and contributing to conservation and biodiversity protection.

Activists say that inclusive and tailored communication is essential to share NBSAP activities and action plans with Indigenous peoples, particularly those near national parks and protected areas.

Indigenous lawyer Shankar Limbu, Vice Chairperson of the Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP), emphasized aligning NBSAP with international standards such as UNDRIP, ILO 169, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). He also recommended synchronizing it with Nepal’s constitutional provisions, including Article 51(j)(8) and policy frameworks like the 16th Five-Year Plan (2024–2029), which promote inclusion and participation of Indigenous and local communities in development.

Activists add that FPIC (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent) must be mandatory to protect Indigenous rights to own, use, and control their ancestral lands, territories, and resources. It should also safeguard their rights to define development priorities, practice self-governance, preserve and transmit their culture, and exercise self-determination.

Equitable benefit-sharing from resources — monetary, non-monetary, and technological — is also essential, ensuring that Indigenous peoples and local communities receive fair benefits from the use of their traditional knowledge and resources.

Photo by Author: Screenshot of Local Government Forest Act of Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality

Advocates also hope the NBSAP revisions will incorporate local government Forest Acts, such as those of Barpark Sulikot Rural Municipality and Sundarbazar Municipality, to address Indigenous Peoples’ issues and concerns. Article 49 ensures the right to protect and promote forest-related traditional practices, while Article 50 emphasizes safeguarding traditional knowledge related to forests. These provisions secure the rights of Indigenous peoples, local communities, Dalits, and women in managing forest resources within municipal jurisdictions.

Activists hope the revised NBSAP will empower Indigenous peoples at the local level, actively engage multi-stakeholders, and include provisions for direct funding access for Indigenous communities.

NBSAP should incorporate a safeguarding mechanism with clear principles, indicators, and a grievance redress system to protect human rights, particularly for women, children, and other vulnerable groups in the biodiversity sector. This mechanism must ensure justice and accountability for violations against environmental and Indigenous defenders, with special attention to those facing violence and reprisals. Additionally, NBSAP should integrate locally led conservation initiatives that are aligned with sociocultural contexts, avoiding top-down approaches.