Our mission is to empower womenin Nepal through outdoor sports

Most women in Nepal are familiar with hard work in all different kinds of terrain; Nepalese women are strong and capable. Their experiences can easily translate to outdoor sports, but this is not always valued in society, where being strong as a girl is not encouraged. . During the last decade there have been significant improvements but gender inequality, discrimination and violence against women still persists. Women in Nepal have to face discrimination in all different domains; economic, social, environmental, political and traditional.  Practices such as, as son preference, stigmatization of widows, seclusion, and family violence put women at a disadvantage in society. Boys are more likely to be educated in Nepal as they are seen to bring financial security whilst daughters live at home to take care of their in-laws. Marriage plays a decisive role in all women’s life choices and social- economic position. The limited opportunities and the constraints have also driven many women to seek employment opportunities elsewhere in Nepal or abroad, a trend accompanied by concerns about their vulnerability to sexual exploitation, forced labour and abuse, and their concentration in the informal sector. We want to see a change. The UN currently states:

• Within the 15-49 age group, over 40% of women have never been to school compared with 14% of men in that category
• Almost half of the population gets married between the age of 14 to 19
• Most women are engaged in unpaid, home-based labour and 74.8% of the unpaid family labour is carried out by women.
• Nepalese women have much higher work- load than the global average
• Suicide is the single leading cause of death among women of reproductive age
  The maternal mortality rate is still highest in the world
• It is estimated that more than 600,000 women suffer from conditions related to uterine prolapse due to early marriage, early pregnancy, overwork and neglect
• 12,000 women and children are trafficked to the Middle East and India every year, mainly for exploitation in brothels or as forced labour
• Among married women, one third have experienced emotional, physical and sexual violence from their spouse

With the highest mountains in the world, marvelous rivers, and infinite tracks and trails, the beautiful landscape of Nepal is a paradise for outdoor sports. There are numerous adventure businesses in Nepal that tend to cater for the foreign tourists. Therefore, many Nepalese people haven’t had the opportunity to explore their surroundings and discover the joy of outdoor sports. Nepal has huge potential for sporting adventures and the adventure tourism sector is important for the overall economic development of the country. Sports in general are not considered for women and as a result they are at a disadvantage within the sector. Beside employment potential, outdoor sports in Nepal can give self confidence, the ability to overcome challenging situations, and a respect and appreciation of nature and its need for conservation. Research on sport, gender and development indicates that sport can benefit girls and women by:

• Enhancing health and wellbeing;
• Fostering self-esteem and empowerment
• Facilitating social inclusion and integration
• Challenging gender norms
• Providing opportunities for leadership and achievement