Pastoralist women play a critical role in sustaining rangelands, livestock systems, biodiversity, and community well-being across the world - from arid and semi-arid landscapes to the Arctic and sub-Arctic tundra. Among them, women from reindeer herding societies are central to the stewardship of fragile northern ecosystems, the transmission of Indigenous knowledge, and the resilience of reindeer herding livelihoods in the face of rapid climate and socio-economic change.
Despite their critical contributions to tradition-keeping, innovation and entrepreneurship, food security, climate resilience, and peace-making, their knowledge, labour, and leadership remain largely absent from policy and global decision-making.
In the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) and the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF), the Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women (Mera +16) will convene pastoralist and ranching women on 26–29 May 2026 at the ICIMOD Headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal to strengthen solidarity, identify shared priorities, and amplify women’s voices in global policy spaces, including UNCCD COP 17 and beyond. Mera +16 in the title commemorates the 16th anniversary of the ‘Mera Declaration’, a landmark political document developed by women pastoralists during a global gathering held in Mera, India, from 21–26 November 2010.
Ahead of the Gathering, to support participation, ICIMOD and IYRP Gender Working Group will host an information webinar on 3 February for organisations and networks nominating pastoralist women and supporting applications. This is a key entry point to ensure women’s priorities shape rangeland and pastoralist futures.
🔗 Learn more about the Gathering and application process:https://lnkd.in/d5QK_RK9
🔗 Register for the information/tutorial webinar:https://lnkd.in/dfiKr6Q4
