Kathmandu: Access to justice has become a daydream for many, as evidenced by the story of Laxmi Mahato, a resident of southern Nepal. Her relentless seven-year struggle to seek justice for her slain brother has transformed her into a fervent environmental activist. Despite feeling unsafe due to her advocacy, Mahato remains steadfast in her mission to amplify her voice for climate justice.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Laxmi’s brother, Dilip Kumar Mahato, was allegedly murdered for opposing illegal riverbed material extraction in Dhanusha over five years ago. Laxmi faces continuous threats for her vocal stance on climate justice, especially after founding the Om Prakash Foundation in her brother’s honor to further the cause.
The dialogue highlighted the precarious safety conditions of environmental defenders, serving as a grim reminder of the shrinking civic space within climate discussions. Mahato shared her insights at a ‘National Dialogue on Climate Justice and Civic Space in Nepal,’ emphasizing how climate change disproportionately impacts marginalized grassroots communities. She illustrated the consequences, including sudden life disruptions from flash floods and drying water sources affecting children’s health and education.
Academic activist Pratima Gurung discussed the impact of multi-dimensional inequality on disadvantaged groups, such as gender-based responses to climate hazards and the resultant injustices. She emphasized the necessity of addressing these issues equitably, citing a story of a disabled girl’s challenges during a heatwave as an example of climate change’s varied effects on different individuals.
Gurung advocated for an inclusive climate discourse that incorporates human rights and intersectionality, urging a shift towards people and planet-centric approaches. She stressed the importance of acknowledging women’s contributions to carbon emission reductions and called for a comprehensive policy and legal framework to support climate survivors.
Kusunti Devi Thapa, President of the Parliamentary Agriculture, Cooperative and Natural Resource committee, emphasized embracing indigenous culture to combat climate-induced losses. Climate governance expert Dr. Rubi Joshi criticized the lack of effective inter-governmental coordination and the absence of intersectional analysis, which perpetuates inequality and injustice.
Youth representative Naren Khatiwada and Pallav Regmi from the Association of International NGOs (AIN) highlighted the need for a rupture of the neo-liberal economic narrative and improved data for loss and damage assessment, respectively. They advocated for simplified processes to access global climate finance and enhanced capacity building for Nepali CSOs.
The panelists collectively recommended evidence-based advocacy, grassroots leadership, and inclusive platforms to influence climate finance mechanisms and safeguard human rights defenders. The dialogue, attended by 150 climate justice advocates, was organized by Nepal Participatory Action Network (NEPAN) in collaboration with AIN and the NGO Federation Nepal.