Peace isn’t given—it’s built. And in Nepal, women are the architects.
UN SDG Action Awards Resilience finalist Women for Peace and Democracy Nepal (WPD Nepal) works to ensure that women and marginalized communities have fair access to resources and economic opportunities so they can overcome poverty and hunger. Its goal is to help communities build a peaceful, just, and inclusive society free from violence and human rights abuses.
Working with more than 1,500 women’s groups, WPD Nepal has already empowered over 2,000 women to lead peacebuilding, support economic recovery, and participate actively in democratic processes across the country.
In rural Nepal, women often carry the greatest burdens of conflict, displacement, and economic hardship—yet remain excluded from decision-making. In 2024, only 27.6 per cent of Nepalese women participated in the labor force, compared to 53.7 per cent of men.
Against this backdrop, WPD Nepal is proving that local, women-led action can drive national transformation—demonstrating that when women lead, communities rebuild stronger, fairer, and more resilient.
From Crisis to Collective Action
Founded in 2010, WPD Nepal is a women-led non-profit organization working at the intersection of gender equality, peacebuilding, and local governance. It gained global recognition after the 2015 Nepal earthquake, when it mobilized rapid-response efforts that went beyond reconstruction and helped establish women’s cooperatives, micro-credit systems, and savings groups, ensuring women had the tools to rebuild not only homes but futures.
Through flagship programs like the Nepal Earthquake Recovery Program (NERP) and the Socio-Economic Women’s Advancement Model (SEWAM), WPD Nepal integrates disarmament, economic independence, and grassroots leadership into an innovative, scalable framework. Their belief is simple yet transformative: peace is not just the absence of violence it is the presence of dignity, security, and opportunity.
Lasting Impact
The impact of this organization is profound: More than 2,000 Nepalese women who were once excluded from decision-making now mediate disputes, shape governance priorities, and challenge deeply rooted patriarchal norms.
WPD Nepal’s advocacy has reached both national and international policy spaces, influencing debates on small arms control, gender-responsive peacebuilding, and inclusive governance. Their model bridges traditional community structures with feminist, rights-based approaches—creating safe spaces where women can lead, earn, and decide.
Peace Built by Women, Built to Last
WPD Nepal continues to call on governments, donors, and changemakers worldwide to invest in women-led recovery and grassroots peacebuilding. Every cooperative established, every woman trained, and every policy shaped moves Nepal—and the world—closer to a future where peace is a shared, lived reality.
From rebuilding in the aftermath of disaster to confronting systemic inequalities, WPD Nepal embodies the spirit of the Heroes of Tomorrow—proving that peace is not a policy to be signed, but a practice to be lived.
