Help Young Women Break the Glass Ceiling in Nepal!

Imagine a world where people do not sit around theorizing about perfection. A world where fear doesn’t restrain creativity but rather inspires movements. Where people heal in vulnerability rather than having to put their best face forward at all times. Instead, they come as they are, and what they aspire to be. A world where voices rise for those who cannot speak, where culture is exchanged with open hearts, where you feel safe enough to simply be and to express yourself without judgement. Where thousands of feminists, activists, and artists from all corners of the globe gather to break bread as a collective, engage in meaningful dialogue, and performances. That is what the Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) Forum felt like. Not just a forum, but a living, breathing space of resistance, connection, and belonging, a collective experience. The Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) hosted its 2024 International Forum from December 2–5 in Bangkok, Thailand, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, with a parallel virtual component. AWID created a vibrant space for connection, collective strategy-building, and alliance formation under the theme "Rising Together: Connect, Heal, Thrive". The Forum prioritized the inclusion of historically marginalized communities and feminists from the Global South, ensuring their leadership and perspectives were central to the discussions.

Having learned about this opportunity from Women LEAD Nepal’s alumni network, I, along with many other alumni, applied. After a rigorous selection process, I had the privilege of attending the Forum alongside our team that consisted of another alumni, 2 Board members as well as 2 Women LEAD Nepal staff. AWID was my first experience at an international forum of this scale, and I was grateful that such a meaningful platform exposed me to global feminist activism. As someone relatively new to the feminist movement, still learning and growing, I felt both excited and uncertain about what to expect despite some prior research. I had pictured a formal environment with note-taking and networking, and while both of those things were present, the Forum turned out to be far richer than I could have anticipated. From the start, the Forum emphasized safety, consent, and inclusivity. I eagerly attended sessions across a wide range of topics, intentionally stepping beyond my comfort zone to engage with new ideas and perspectives that deepened my understanding and affirmed my place in this movement.

I took away a lot from this forum. One of my most memorable sessions was A Touch of HOLAA by HOLAAfrica. As women, our bodies often bear the brunt of violence, and constant societal expectation, which can leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves. The session offered a much needed healing space to reconnect with my body. Through breathwork, movement, and storytelling, I felt a deep sense of connection with women from many different backgrounds. Similarly, a pottery workshop My (Em)bodied Self, walked us through experimenting with embodiment where we used clay as we explored part of our bodies we struggle with or love, as a symbol of reclaiming them as sources of strength and resistance. Both workshops helped me see embodiment not just as an idea but as something we can practice everyday to reclaim power and tenderness.

The forum also allowed me to reflect on the power of collective action. As I sat in the sessions and interacted with fellow feminists, I was reminded of our shared strength and resilience. I realized that, despite feeling overwhelmed at times, I am not alone. That even when the work feels heavy or invisible, I am part of a global network of feminists holding each other up. It was a glimpse into the world we are trying to build, a world where we can nurture love and justice in equal measure, growing flowers with one hand and wielding swords for a better world with the other.

The AWID Forum was an invaluable experience that offered me this profound glimpse into the kind of world I want to live in, and the kind of world I aspire to help shape. One afternoon, I spontaneously joined a circle of strangers dancing to a Palestinian song. It started with shy swaying but quickly turned into a vibrant, joyful celebration of resistance and unity. I also visited CREA’s booth to write love letters. Reading the letters pinned on the wall, addressed to friends, homelands, parents, and children, brought tears to my eyes. In a world often marked by division, this simple act of expressing love felt revolutionary. Every interaction reminded me of the joy, power, and collective strength within the global feminist movement. 

My AWID experience gave me a renewed sense of purpose. I found myself in a community where topics like sexual pleasure, capitalism, and intersectional struggles were discussed openly and unapologetically. It was an opportunity to engage in authentic conversation regarding issues that matter most to me. There was an atmosphere of solidarity, whether we were discussing the worth of safe abortion, combating violence, or breaking down the oppressions of race, queerness, gender, and disability. I was particularly moved by the accessibility of the Forum. Everything from sign language interpreters to live language translation, to diaper-changing stations, to low-sensory zones and childcare rooms, was there to enable everyone to participate without barriers. As I participated and observed these things, I realized how it spoke to a deep respect for everyone's participation.

My AWID experience was one that will continue to shape how I see myself and my role within the feminist movement. It was not only about the sessions or the people I met but about the confidence I gained to bring those lessons back home. Opportunities like this are, I believe, investments in our growth, and voices and being part of such a strong alumni community at Women LEAD means I am never walking this path alone. I carry with me not just the knowledge from AWID, but also the assurance that Women LEAD will continue to create spaces for us to learn, thrive, and lead change together.

“I am flowing again. I have lost my fears, my anguishes. I have multiple desires, curiosities, interests. I can be everywhere.”
  —Anaïs Nin

At the heart of our mission lies a thriving alumni community. Our commitment to their journey doesn't end at graduation; through dedicated alumni programs, we empower them to expand their professional networks, launch social initiatives, and access ongoing opportunities for growth. These women remain pillars of our community, paying forward their expertise as mentors, board members, and advocates. By investing in their sustained success, we multiply the impact of your support, creating a ripple effect of empowerment across generations.

This ripple effect manifested powerfully through our 2024-2025 public engagement initiatives, where alumni transitioned to step into leadership roles, honing their skills while giving back. At the WOW Festival Nepal in November 2024, hosted by the British Council, our alumni returned as mentors in Women LEAD's Speed Mentoring Session, guiding the next generation through rapid, dynamic exchanges that built confidence, networks, and actionable strategies. Their leadership extended beyond mentoring as they volunteered across the festival, gaining hands-on event management experience. This trajectory continued at February 2025's OWN IT Nepal Leadership Summit, where alumni moved into key organizational roles, shaping strategy, logistics, and outreach to create an impactful experience for 200+ emerging leaders across business, arts, and journalism. Their involvement transformed these events from participation opportunities into platforms for genuine leadership development.

Our capacity-building initiatives further amplified this growth, with alumni taking central roles in shaping discussions and acquiring practical skills. The 'Feminist Bahas' discussions in December 2024 and April 2025 saw alumni facilitating critical dialogues on pressing social issues, honing their public speaking abilities while strengthening peer connections. Skill development reached new heights through specialized workshops like January 2025's Entrepreneurship Session with Darshana Shrestha, where our alumni gained business strategies, practical business knowledge and networking opportunities, inspiring them to pursue their ventures with confidence. On April 2025, Public Service Session featured our alumni Praju Dotel sharing her journey as a Section Officer at Nepal Law Commission, illustrating tangible pathways in civic leadership. The Changemaker Awards (CMA) (September 2024-March 2025) epitomized our alumni's transformative journey, providing selected teams with funding, and mentorship to implement community projects addressing education access and gender equity, e.t.c. Their March presentations revealed not just project outcomes, but profound growth in leadership capabilities. Similarly, the Feminist Writer's Workshop on March 25-26, led by our Communications Coordinator Priyankana Bastola with Pranaya Rana from KALAM Weekly, empowered alumni to amplify marginalized voices through writing. Beyond our programs, alumni represented Women LEAD at events like Higher Ground Nepal's March 2025 Fun Run, extending our network while advocating for our mission.

This year's achievements demonstrate how our alumni have turned training into tangible impact - leading mentoring sessions, co-creating summits, launching ventures, and driving community projects. Their evolution from participants to mentors, organizers, and board members stands as testament to this network's enduring power. More than skill development, we're witnessing movement-building in action. As our alumni ascend across sectors, they create multiplying opportunities for others. Each facilitated workshop, each amplified story, each community project initiated sends out ripples that will continue shaping Nepal's future for generations to come.