HKH WOMEN ON ICE

HKH women on ice expedition

For the first time in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, we are starting an all-women cryosphere fieldwork expedition through our HKH women on ice initiative. Selected group of women from our regional member countries will travel together to Ponkar Glacier in Manang district of the Gandaki River basin, Nepal. This glacier, with its terminus at 3,651 m asl (as of 2019), is relatively easy to access. The expedition is fully funded, including travel to and from Nepal.

Participants will be accompanied and guided by our women cryosphere experts to understand glacier and glacial lake features, their changes and key role as climate change index and water resources. Qualified women mountaineering guides will also accompany the expedition.

HKH women on ice is initiated to address the strong gender imbalance in the HKH countries in cryosphere science, especially regarding field-based measurements. A total of ten women from the region will be selected through a competitive process for the expedition.

This programme for HKH women on ice is initiated by the Cryosphere Intervention under the Action Area A: Managing cryosphere and water risk, Strategic Group 1: Reducing environmental and climate risk.

Objectives

• Empower women from RMCs with the knowledge, skills and inspire them to excel in cryosphere activities, including fieldwork.
• Establish a network of HKH women in cryosphere science to cultivate an inclusive, diverse, and supportive community that also promotes gender equality and leadership development.
• Provide mentors for young women interested in becoming cryosphere scientists.

Deliverables from participants

• Working in groups during the expedition, participants will focus on projects on topics of interest and deliver a comprehensive report by the end of the expedition.
• Maintain a video/written diary documenting their experiences and learnings from the field expedition. Their message could include a call to action emphasizing the preservation of glaciers in anticipation of the upcoming International Year of Glacier Preservation (IYGP) 2025 event.
• Share their project outcomes, learnings, and experiences from the expedition to the larger ICIMOD team on their return to Kathmandu.
• Work with ICIMOD teams to publish their video/written diary.

Expected outcomes

An outcome of this expedition will be a cohort of skilled women capable of identifying various glacier and glacial lake features and possessing a deeper understanding of the impact of climate change on glaciers and society. This increased awareness and competence among women in cryosphere science could lead to a greater participation of women in cryosphere research, including fieldwork. Additionally, the expedition will establish a network of young women cryosphere scientists in the region.