Minister Shrestha calls for women-focused climate financing in tourism sector

Kathmandu, Feb 20: Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Shraddha Shrestha asserted that climate-resilient financing should go beyond roads and infrastructure and called for directing investments towards women-led enterprises, gender-sensitive infrastructures and community-based conservation.

Addressing the Nepal Tourism Symposium 2026, jointly organized by the Nepal Tourism Board and Parishuchak Media here today, Minister Shrestha noted that climate change is directly affecting tourism with women being the hardest hit. 

Shrestha spoke of the need to invest on women-centered initiatives and connect tourism revenues with community resilience.

"Climate-financing must prioritize women's causes, not just developing infrastructures," the Minister argued, emphasizing easier access to climate funds for women-led enterprises and recognition of women's contributions to forest, water and cultural conservation.

Minister Shrestha, who also served the Nepal Tourism Board prior to assuming this post, expressed her concern over the growing impacts of climate change such as glacial lake outburst floods, irregular snowfall, landslides blocking trekking routes, water shortages in tourist areas, biodiversity loss and damage to heritage sites that, she worried, were increasingly affecting tourism sector of the country.

She also raised concerns over the climate change impacts adversely affecting women who rely heavily on homestays, seasonal jobs and cultural services for their livelihoods.

Furthermore, she highlighted the need for gender-sensitive planning in tourism infrastructure, stronger partnerships and ensuring that women directly benefit from tourism-generated income.

''When tourism declines, women suffer the most," she observed, noting that women-led households dependent on tourism income are particularly vulnerable to climate change-induced incidents.

The Minister, thus, called for policies that link women to the economy while strengthening resilience against climate-induced challenges. (RSS)