This year, the Centre looks forward to celebrating two special events.  During the first event, ‘Celebrating 100 Years of International Women’s Day’, ICIMOD is honoured to welcome Ms Anuradha Koirala, Chairperson of Maiti Nepal and CNN Hero of the Year 2010, as the Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker for an in-house programme on Tuesday, 8th of March. Ms. Koirala is noted primarily for her critical work on women’s empowerment, protecting the most vulnerable segment of Nepal’s population – especially young girls and women – from trafficking and rehabilitating them and crusading for the basic human rights of women everywhere.

In celebration this special centennial year of IWD, ICIMOD is proud to be instituting Gender Champions Awards to honour those at the Centre who are making a real difference for gender-positive changes within the institution and in the region.

The IWD celebrations will continue with a smaller more technically-oriented 1.5 day Consultative Workshop and Round Table on Gender Experiences and Adaptation Strategies to Climate and Socio-Cultural Change in the Hindu-Kush Himalayas with invited partners and experts from the region. The participants will discuss key issues facing mountain women in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas in rapidly changing contexts, and as a result of different drivers of change such as climate change.  This important workshop will lay the foundation for ICIMOD’s work on gender and adaptation to climate and socio-cultural change for the next five years.

International Women’s Day Events and Highlights

• International Women’s Day Celebrations, 8 March 2011 (9:00-2:00 pm)
  • Welcoming Remarks, Dr Ritu Verma, Gender and Governance Division Head (9:15 am)
  • Address by Dr Andreas Schild, Director General, ICIMOD (9:20 am)
  • Keynote Address by Guest of Honour, Ms Anuradha Koirala, Chairperson of Maiti Nepal and CNN Hero of 2010(9:30 am)
  • Interaction Session with the Guest of Honour (10:00 am)
  • Cake Cutting Ceremony (11:30 am)
  • Gender Champions Awards Ceremony (12:00 noon)
  • Women’s Power Lunch (12:30 pm)
• Consultative Workshop and Round Table: Gender Experiences and Adaptation Strategies to Climate and Socio-Cultural Change in the Hindu-Kush Himalayas (March 8-9) – 1.5 Days

Opening session, Tuesday, 8 March  2011 (2:00 – 3.00 pm)

• • Opening Remarks and Address by Dr Andreas Schild, Director General, ICIMOD
  • Welcoming Remarks by Dr Michael Kollmair, Programme Manager, Sustainable Livelihood and Proverty Reduction (SLPR) and Dr Ritu Verma, Division Head, Gender and Governance, ICIMOD
  • Introductions by Riti Herman Mostert, ODC
  • Introductory Remarks  on ‘The Critical Importance of Gender Analysis and Equity for Adaptation to Climate and Socio-Cultural Change in the HKH’ by Dr Ritu Verma, Division Head, Gender and Governance, ICIMOD
  • Hopes and Expectations by Riti Herman Mostert, ODC
  • Coffee/tea break

ICIMOD’s Gender and Governance Division

ICIMOD ensures that gender and equity issues are integrated in all its strategic programmes, projects, and communications. It works with partners to develop their capacities to promote gender issues and good governance in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas for sustainable mountain development. It addresses gender and governance issues in all of its interventions through gender-responsive research, capacity building, and policy options and also supports gender-positive changes within the organisation itself.

ICIMOD’s Gender and Governance Division is taking the lead in organising the above events.

For more information about International Women’s Day events, please contact:

Dr Ritu Verma
Division Head, Gender and Governance
rverma@icimod.org