About Us

Introduction:
The “NGO-Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities (NGO-FONIN)” is an umbrella organization of the IPOs and IPs’ NGOs, which is non-political, non-religion (non-sectarian), not-profit making, purely social development organizations run by the indigenous nationalities. This is registered at the Kathmandu District Administration Office of Government of Nepal under the Social Act 2034 and, affiliated with the Social Welfare Council at 2004. The aim of the Federation is to ensure the rights of the indigenous peoples (IPs) who are deprived of their basic rights being marginalized from the development process and bring them into the mainstream of development process in order to create a fair and equitable society by making collective efforts together with the like-minded organisations of the indigenous peoples.

All other IPs/IPOs organizations only focus and work for the 59 enlisted groups, and “have practice to exclude un-enlisted INs groups, but NGO-FONIN is open to all groups, regardless of their identity or recognition by the government”. From an initial forum called BAKULOCHANA (Bahing, Kulung, Lohorung, Chamling and Nachhiring) representing five non-recognized Kirati groups, which was basically formed to promote the rights of indigenous peoples to natural resources in line with the Article 8 (j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity from 2003, and NGO-FONIN grew from the forum into a federation and has been contributing to enhance inclusion, equity, social justice empowering marginalized and excluded ethnic groups in cooperation of rights holder, stake holders and likeminded organizations.

The federation with its central office at Dilli Bazar, Kathmandu has currently, 36 IPOs and IPs-NGOs of the indigenous peoples affiliated with it. NGO-FONIN has 107-member organization based on the community level and national level. It has also established 11 district chapters and networks in 30 districts and working on IPs development activities.

Vision
Indigenous Peoples Institutions developed and be stout! Realization of Rights, Identity and economy improvement is the way out.

Mission
Organize and mobilize indigenous people to promote indigenous rights and social justice. • Strengthen institutional capacity and good government practice of indigenous organization. • Sensitize of economic development and environmental protection through indigenous knowledge.

Goals

  • Mobilize the member organizations, district networks, and leaders to implement pro-right based initiatives.
  • Promote and protect the cultural rights of indigenous people, social justice and lasting democratic peace and practices.
  • Engaging the indigenous committee to improve economic status through environmental hygiene and the indigenous knowledge and cultural practices.

NGO-FONIN Guiding Principle:

  • Values: The values it charted out as operating bases for its principles are as under:
  • Mutual respect and understanding: respect for and understanding of each other as peoples engaged in a collective effort.
  • Equitability and impartiality: treat each group on the basis of principles of equity and impartiality without biases based personal relation.
  • Participation and transparency: in all aspects of decision-making processes affecting IPs’ way-of-life, whereas to value transparency over ad hoc decision-making practice and processes.
  • Partnership and cooperation: partnership on equal footing (with mutual respect) regardless of group identity, valuating collective efforts and equally partnering between both “odd and even” groups.
  • Sincerity: a true commitment to the organization – and to any mission to be carried out by the organization.
  • Self-confession (self-criticism, self-evaluation) and accountability: a realization of one’s own positive and negative contribution to the fulfilment of any mission, and a commitment to looking at mistakes as learning as well as accountable on performance initiatives and consequences.

Working Area:

NGO-FONIN will work with all Indigenous Peoples (Indigenous nationalities) of each part of Nepal. While working with them, priority will be given towards most disadvantaged/marginalised and excluded groups of peoples.

Target Peoples:

  • Priority: Indigenous nationalities (Women, Girls, Children, Disabled, Backword, Poor Communities, Dis-advantage groups.).

Strategic Objectives:

To ensure rights of the indigenous peoples and bring them into the mainstream of development, the Federation will take the following strategies:

  • The Federation will make collective efforts by establishing network with organisations concerned for the development of indigenous peoples, ascertaining their rights and their participation in their own development process.
  • Help the marginalised indigenous peoples for their participation into development process by organising and sensitising them.
  • Help indigenous peoples’ organisations (IPOs) with skills development and through these organisations help the marginalised groups at the grass-roots level in their development.
  • Help indigenous communities get their living standard improved by developing their knowledge, skills and attitude.
  • Help indigenous communities get their knowledge and skills developed, their thoughts and behaviour changed so as to improve their living standard.
  • Promotion and protection of bio-diversity, agro-biodiversity, bio-cultural knowledge, climate change, sacred places and natural resources related to the development of indigenous people.
  • Advocacy, alliances and lobbing will be mounted to pressurise government authorities to become accountable for the establishment of rights and proportional participation of the marginalized indigenous peoples in the development process.
  • Get activities planned and implemented with the marginalized groups for the proportional development of the indigenous peoples.
  • Maintain relation and coordination with the government, NGOs/DAs to secure necessary assistance for development activities and the initiative for ensuring rights and development of the indigenous peoples.
  • Carry out situational studies/analysis and develop appropriate strategies and get them implemented.
  • Take responsibility for monitoring and evaluating of and transparency in the activities implemented by the member and partner organisations.

Priority area:

  • Issues of basic rights of indigenous peoples and human rights.
  • Issues of IPs participation in economic, political and social development process.
  • Issues of Strengthening Capacity, Sustainable livelihood and Food Sovereignty.
  • Issues of the Traditional Knowledge, System, Practicces and Preservation of Customary laws.
  • Issues of environment and Bio-Diversity along the line of sustainability.
  • Advocacy for influencing policy makers for developing policies on their own (IPs) development process.
  • Issues of Environmental Protection, Climate Change and Adaptation/Disaster Management.
  • Issues of Conservation of Natural Resources and Bio-diversity.
  • Issues of Gender Equity and Social Inclusion and Justice.
  • Issues of Land Resources, Conservation of Natural Resources.
  • Issues of Economic Empowerment, Employment and Entrepreneurship.