What we did
We developed a social mobilisation programme to empower people to more effectively participate in community activities and access benefits and resources. Community Facilitators, employed through local NGOs, work to develop awareness of issues and rights and to increase participatory decision-making and transparency. They facilitate better governance and greater equity of Forest User Groups (FUGs) in the management of their forest resources. They encourage the utilisation of FUG funds for activities that really benefit the poor such as revolving credit and match funding.

In their work to bring about the social change required to redress inclusion and power imbalances, they work with the whole community whilst actively addressing the priorities of poor and excluded people (generally women, Dalits (ex-untouchables) and people of minority ethnic groups.) 

Community Facilitators and supervisors are recruited locally through an open process with priority given to women, Dalits and minority groups. Their work involves 4 main phases of: building awareness and confidence; organising groups and preparing or revising forest operational plans; providing tangible benefits and assets; creating links and building sustainability.

Why we did it
Given the prevailing social inequalities in Nepal, we wanted to take practical steps to address issues of inclusion in decision-making and benefit sharing within the community management of forest and other land resources. We wanted to address a root cause of poverty and conflict in rural Nepal: social exclusion based on caste, ethnicity and gender. Our programmes work to end discrimination, improve grass-roots governance and empower the voices of the diversity of people throughout Nepal.

More specifically, many FUGs had funds that were often spent on ‘community development’ projects such as building temples, rather than meeting the basic needs of poorest members. Investing in irrigation canals or roads did not benefit those without land or transport.

• Benefits we have seen
  Previously excluded people have become FUG members such that about 90% of households are members in the hill districts. 
• 36% women, 50% poor and other excluded people now have positions on FUG committees.  
• There is greater participation of poor and excluded people in FUGs, with their increased ability to articulate needs and interests through interest groups based around gender or ethnicity. 
• People with power are influenced to change how they set priorities and make decisions. 
• Increased bottom-up planning, pro-poor budgeting and self-monitoring takes place in FUGs. 
• More FUGs have equitable forest product distribution systems - an increase from 3% to 15% of FUGs. 
• There is greater investment of FUG income in activities that directly benefit the poor.  
• FUGs have better links with local and district level agencies to increase livelihoods activities.  
• New leadership has developed at hamlet level. (40% of women elected in 1998 local elections were from FUG committees.) 
• The social mobilisation programme is implemented in coordination with a range of stakeholders at district level, many of whom become inspired to themselves work more inclusively and promote diversity. 
• There have been noticeable improvements in group governance, participation, adherence to the rule of law, transparency, and local resource mobilisation.

Voices
 “I have been working in Bahaune Shatte FUG and made them aware of their rights. Before, the poor and excluded thought that the community forest was only for firewood.  Now they realise that they can go to the Executive Committee to ask for support with income generating activities.” Ratan Gautam, Community Facilitator

“In Bolbom FUG, we conducted a series of trainings so now the committee allocates budget for the poor.  They set aside Rs 80,000 for the poor and hire the poorest people to work in the community forest. Before, the Committee would meet, but the FUG members never knew the decisions.  Now, each hamlet sends a representative who then informs everyone of the decisions made. Recently, we sent the three poorest on training. One came back and made photocopies of the constitution and operational plan so that each sub-group has a copy to read to members. Now, they are discussing having a requirement for representatives of Dalits and the poorest on the Committee. They have also been promoting transparency by posting the details of the training budgets and doing public audits.”  Dhanda Pari Kanal, Community Facilitator

“The idea for goat-raising started with social mobilisation and we had training from the FUG about our rights, which opened our eyes.  We did a well-being assessment to choose the poorest people for goat-raising.  The FUG set aside a fund and we went to each village to explain.  There is almost total change in people’s understanding of their rights in the FUG since social mobilisation.” Chandra Bahadur BK, chairperson of the committee of poor and excluded people within Shanti FUG in Rupandehi district where 80% of the members have no land and even the largest house has only enough land to grow three months of food.