Simran Silpakar has been with ICIMOD since 2020 in various roles and contributing to multiple GESI (Gender Equality and Social Inclusion) aspects and initiatives. Before becoming a GESI Analyst, she was a Gender Research Associate, supporting the integration of GESI and contributing to various GESI- and livelihood-related activities. She was also with ICIMOD’s Air Pollution Solutions Initiative as an SSA-Inclusive Development Associate; in this role, she authored a working paper titled “Transforming the Informal Sector”.

Simran’s professional journey extends beyond ICIMOD, having worked for over seven years across NGOs, social enterprises, and research institutions. In her stints with organisations like Hattihatti Nepal, SAATH Nepal, the South Asian Women Development Forum (SAWDF), Burns Violence Survivors Nepal, Danfe Works, and DidiBahini, Simran led initiatives empowering the marginalised communities, women entrepreneurs, and survivors of violence. Notably, she led the “Hami Udhyami” program of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, conducting women-focused community-level training in partnership with the local government. During her tenure as Program Coordinator at SAWDF, she was the lead coordinator and focal communication person for the International Women Entrepreneurs Summit held in Kathmandu in 2018; the summit brought together diverse regional women consortiums from SAARC, ASEAN, and MENA, representing 27 countries. Simran is also a co-founder of Astitwa Nepal, where she has been designing programmes to combat gender-based violence and empower women and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds in Nepal.

In the realm of research, she has led a gender analysis study for the 6 Degrees Network for Women, Netherlands, focusing on women of the Musahar community in Sauraha, Chitwan. She has also served as a qualitative researcher and team lead for Empatika, conducting semi-immersive research in Gorkha and Surkhet for the Integrated Programme for Strengthening Security and Justice (IP-SSJ), a project of UNOPS and UK Aid Direct. Additionally, Simran has conducted research on women’s participation in the Small Irrigation Programme of the Government of Nepal and the Government of Switzerland; the study covered 10 water user groups.

Simran holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and rural development from Thames International College, Kathmandu, and a master’s degree in conflict, peace, and development studies from Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur.