In celebration of International Women’s Week 2025, Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) held the first episode of its Round Table Discussion Series, today (7th March 2025) featuring Ms. Sangeeta Rana Thapa, a distinguished expert in women’s development, as the Honored Dignitary. The session, led by NDRI Executive Director Dr. Shikha Thapa Magar, kicked off with an engaging dialogue where she encouraged all female participants and program leads to discuss their work and share personal experiences from their respective fields.

Dr. Manjeswori Singh, the first female member and the first female General Secretary of NDRI, reflected on her journey within an institute originally established by seven male members. She recounted her experience of overcoming gender barriers and her eventual appointment as the General Secretary of NDRI. Dr. Singh expressed her pride in witnessing over 50% female representation among NDRI staff and stressed the importance of achieving similar inclusivity at the executive board level. Ms. Nirmita Shrestha and Ms. Dikshya Barasaini from the MSME project team highlighted the challenges that women entrepreneurs face in Nepal. Despite many women successfully starting their own businesses, they continue to encounter societal and financial obstacles, even in urban settings. Ms. Akriti Sharma and Ms. Sophiya Shrestha shared their field experiences, emphasizing the ongoing gender disparities in various sectors. They also discussed the crucial role women play in Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) initiatives and the specific challenges they encounter during disasters, as noted by Ms. Sharma. Echoing the sentiment, Ms. Binita Shahi shared her insights from the agriculture sector, where women often receive lower pay than men for the same work and continue to face systemic inequalities.

From the NDRI Outreach and Communication Team, Ms. Ashma Aryal and Ms. Seetal Luitel shared insights on the progress NDRI has made in promoting women’s inclusivity and discussed how digital platforms can further enhance the visibility of women in research and development. Dr. Jaya Kumar Gurung expressed pride in NDRI’s merit-based recruitment process, which has resulted in over 50% of the staff being female, ensuring fair competition and inclusivity. Dr. Rudra Suwal underscored the significance of women in leadership roles and encouraged conversations about attracting more women to these positions. In her closing remarks, Ms. Sangeeta Rana Shah expressed her gratitude for NDRI’s dedication to gender inclusivity and urged ongoing efforts to boost women’s representation at the executive board level. She also recognized the remarkable work NDRI has accomplished in research and policy development. Reflecting on her experience as a representative of the Ministry of Women, Government of Nepal, she reminisced about advocating for the 33% quota for women and felt deep satisfaction in witnessing female staff representation at NDRI today. Concluding the discussion, Dr. Shikha Thapa Magar noted how engaging and productive the session was, reaffirming NDRI’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable future.