Green Foundation Nepal collaboration with the FECOFUN, GACF, COFSUN & HIMAWANTI Nepal recently organized a event entitled Forest Rights in South Asia: Addressing Sustainable Development, Poverty Reduction & Climate Change Issues during the People’s SAARC Regional Convergence on the date of 23rd Novemebr 2014.

Different speakers on the programme spoke about the conservation rights to be transferred to the real community and to bear this SAARC countries should go by hand in hand to form a network for the continuation of advocacy and discussions. Mr. Ghan Shyam Pandey, Chair & Coordinator of GACF presented the paper on securing forest Rights: Addressing the Sustainable Development, Poverty Reduction and Climate Change Issues. He stated the status of forestry rights in SAARC countries and User groups residing in SAARC countries share the common problem. He further added only the way to eradicate poverty in SAARC countries is transferring community property rights to people. The people’s livelihood has been directly attached with forest but government is not willing to hanad over the conservation and utilization rights to the forest frontier.

Conservationist Mr. Guman Singh from Himachal India also added the status of community forestry rights in India and focussed to struggle for community rights. Similarly, Mr. Dilip Gode, forest conservationist of India stated, in India forests have not been transferred to community according to the Indian law. Likewise, other speakers like Ashok Choudhary, General Secretary of Indian Forestry Labor Organization, Mr. Bhola Katiwada of CoFSUn Nepal, Bharati Pathak, FECOUN spoke of conservation rights of community. whereas, Mr Dharma Uprety, Climate Change expert presented on Climate Change impacts in Livelihood of Nepal and adaptation starategy that UNFCC is taking.

Different querries were raised by international participant in the programme and the programme was concluded by Mr. bhim Prakash Khadka, Vice – chairperson of FECOFUN who chaired the event.