South Asia Sub-Regional Report: Country Reports From Bangladesh, India, And Nepal

Using a gender and social inclusion approach, the sub-regional report considers whether each country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) includes specific reference to rights holders such as Indigenous Peoples, including those more marginalized, such as Indigenous women, youth, and persons with disabilities, and whether the NDC explicitly recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ rights, including customary land and resource tenure rights, and the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). The analysis also looks at whether and how NDCs promote or reference traditional knowledge, Indigenous Peoples’ participation, and capacity building.

Finally, the country analyses highlight a series of ways that Indigenous women, men, youth, and persons with disabilities contribute to the goals of the Paris Agreement: by protecting forests and biodiversity, increasing the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered; protecting and restoring customary rules, practices, and traditional livelihood activities; maintaining and transferring their knowledge and wisdom on how to adapt to harsh climatic conditions; and providing inspiring examples of food system resilience.

This analytical work sets a baseline against which progress can be measured and encourages national participatory dialogues to enhance the inclusiveness of NDCs as they are further developed and implemented. The findings of the analysis can also serve as a lever for participatory policy engagement, enabling recognition of indigenous solutions to climate change and more systematic engagement of Indigenous Peoples’ networks and civil society in the review and enhancement of NDCs during 2022 and beyond. It represents a timely opportunity to foster a socially inclusive, gender-responsive, and human rights-based approach to national climate actions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Click here to download the South Asia Sub-Regional Report
Click here to read the Regional Report
Click here to read the Mekong Sub-Regional Report
Click here to read the Southeast Asia Sub-Regional Report
Click here to watch the side event LIVE streams on Youtube
Click here to read the press release