Kathmandu, 18 May 2026 - Pastoralist women from across the world will gather in Kathmandu from 26 to 29 May 2026 for the Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women (Mera+16), hosted at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), one of the first major global gatherings of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026.

The gathering will bring together pastoralist and ranching women from 40 countries across 10 IYRP regions to recognise their leadership, share experiences and knowledge, and strengthen global solidarity around pastoralism, rangelands, and climate justice.

A central focus of the gathering will be revisiting the Mera Declaration, a landmark political document developed by women pastoralists at a global gathering in Mera, India, in 2010. The declaration calls for gender equality, pastoralist rights, and environmental sustainability, and remains a key reference for global advocacy by pastoralist women.

Pastoralist women and girls play vital roles in caring for rangelands and sustaining food and fibre production and are central to the stewardship of nearly half of the Earth’s terrestrial surface. Despite this, their contributions remain largely unrecognised. Many face insecure land rights, disproportionate impacts of climate change, and exclusion from policy and decision-making processes. The gathering aims to amplify pastoralist women’s voices, support their initiatives, and ensure their perspectives shape decisions from local to global levels.

Participants will exchange experiences on land rights, economic autonomy, traditional knowledge, rangeland restoration, biodiversity conservation, education, well-being, and climate resilience. The gathering will focus on building a global network of pastoralist women and developing a shared policy agenda to be advanced in international forums, including the UN Convention to Combat Desertification Conference of Parties (UNCCD COP17), the UNFCCC COP 31, and the Convention on Biological Diversity COP17. Cross regional connections will enable women to share practical innovations, advocacy strategies, and emotional solidarity.

The Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women is jointly organised by the IYRP Working Group on Pastoralism and Gender, ICIMOD, and FAO Nepal, in partnership with RECONCILE, Women in Ranching, Anthra, Mujeres Ganaderas de Mexico (MUGAM) and other organizations.  
Event details:

Date: 26–29 May 2026
Event: The Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women (Mera +16)
Venue: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) HQ
Event details: Visit website