Women and men play key roles with respect to environmental protection and social and economic development in mountain areas. Women are often the primary managers of mountain resources, guardians of biodiversity and the main actors in terms of agriculture, animal husbandry and other small scale economic activities. In mountain communities, women are keepers of traditional knowledge, custodians of local culture and experts in traditional medicine.
However, women mountain dwellers are often invisible and their voices go unheard. They rarely participate in decisions affecting the management and use of local resources; they often lack basic rights, have little access to ownership and land tenure rights, education, health services and training. Since women and girls have less access to household resources, they are at a greater risk of hunger and malnutrition.
As men migrate to lowlands areas or abroad in search of better income, women are left to manage the farm and household and participate in small trade and income-earning activities. Yet lack of access to credit hampers efforts to improve or expand their farm activities and earn cash incomes.Inaccessibility shapes the lives of mountain communities. Further, the challenges men and women face in mountain regions is intensified by altitude, steep terrain and isolation.
![]() Photo of spring equinox festival in Iran wins International Mountain Day 2018 competitionnewsAn image from a spring equinox festival on a mountain in Iran has won the annual International Mountain Day photography competition organized by FAO to heighten awareness of the importance of mountains worldwide. |
![]() The Indigenous Mountain Peoples Database is live!newsThe Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) in close collaboration with the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA) has developed a database and an interactive map which connects indigenous mountain communities and the mountain range they inhabit. The scope of this project is to raise awareness about indigenous mountain peoples... Read more » |
![]() Touring the Pamir mountainsnewsA group of Bartang women participated in a study tour in the Pamir mountains to learn about natural resource management, tourism and vocational training. The four-day study tour in Lower Bartang-Khorog-Ishkashim was organized from 24-27 September 2018 by Mountain Partnership member, 'The Little Earth' with support from the... Read more » |
![]() Raising awareness of protected mountain areasnewsThe future of Indigenous and Community Conserved areas (ICCAs) was discussed by a variety of stakeholders including community members, NGOs, donor organizations and academics at the ICCA Consortium in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 29-31 October 2018. The Mountain Societies Research Institute of the University of Central Asia (MSRI/UCA) and the... Read more » |
![]() Our Journey 2017: Mountain Partnership SecretariatnewsThe Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) reflects on its key achievements in promoting sustainable mountain development last year in its 2017 annual report. “Our Journey 2017: Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual Report”, the publication documents the Secretariat’s work in the areas of advocacy, communication and knowledge management, promoting International Mountain Day, brokering... Read more » |
![]() Our Journey in 2017: Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual ReportpublicationThe Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual Report outlines its key achievements in promoting sustainable mountain development last year in its 2017 annual report. The publication documents the Secretariat’s work in the areas of advocacy, communication and knowledge management, promoting International Mountain Day, brokering joint action and leading capacity development initiatives Compiled by...
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