Radha Paudel Foundation (RPF)

The historic 2017 local elections in Nepal resulted in many women attaining leadership positions for the first time. Nonetheless, the positions they gained are mostly concentrated in low-responsibility areas within governing bodies, and largely left out of ministerial or provincial leadership. Only one woman was elected to the central level.

Radha Paudel Foundation is registered in Bhaktipur, Nepal, with the mission to emancipate women and girls from poverty, injustice, and discrimination by educating communities in social discrimination and gender stereotyping, engaging men and for gender justice, empowering women and girls politically, economically and socially, and enhancing networks and partnerships for the enforcement of gender equitable policies at all levels of governance. The organization is founded by the human rights activist Ms. Radha Paudel, who was the Nepal winner of the N-Peace Awards in 2012. She is an author, nurse and activist for menstrual rights and destigmatization, and important gender equality influencer in her country.

The Foundation intends to roll out a nationwide campaign engaging women and men in the promotion of gender equality through creating a space for marginalized women to become involved in decision-making processes. Through fortnightly dialogues between local, provincial and central level speakers – of which 50% will be women – and a sustained social media campaign, this project will directly benefit 300 women and 100 men, and reach over 3 million people in Nepal.