KATHMANDU: SaathSaathai Foundation, which has been working in the areas of climate justice and community resilience, has launched the ‘Green Festival: Women Leading for Change’ campaign to promote environmentally friendly, sustainable and responsible ways of celebrating religious and cultural festivals.
Launched in collaboration with the Intergenerational Feminist Forum, the campaign aims to reduce the growing use of plastic materials, unnecessary consumption and food waste during festivals while promoting environmentally friendly lifestyles.
Women lawmakers, women’s rights activists, social campaigners and representatives from various sectors participated in the campaign launch programme.
Foundation Chairperson Prajita Karki said increasing consumerism in recent years has encouraged excessive shopping, greater use of plastic products and food wastage during festivals.
She said the campaign would focus on developing a culture of celebrating festivals in an environmentally responsible manner while respecting traditions and cultural practices.
“Festivals are closely connected to our culture and identity. Therefore, it is necessary to develop practices of celebrating festivals by giving equal priority to environmental protection along with the preservation of culture,” Karki said.
According to Karki, climate change and environmental problems are directly and indirectly affecting women as well. She stressed the need to promote climate justice, gender equality and environmental protection together through behaviour-change campaigns led by women.
The foundation also aims to establish the concept of a circular economy in the daily lives of Nepalis. The campaign will promote the reuse and recycling of used materials and sustainable use of resources to encourage responsible consumption.
The foundation had previously launched the ‘Green Teej’ campaign in 2024, under which participating women made a five-point commitment to celebrate the festival in an environmentally friendly manner.
The foundation said it has been prioritising behavioural change among individuals and communities alongside policy reforms to reduce the impacts of climate change.
It has also been working on reducing food insecurity, promoting gender equality, conserving aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, and strengthening partnerships among stakeholders.
Through the ‘Green Festival’ campaign, the foundation aims to connect festival celebrations with environmental responsibility and expand sustainable and eco-friendly practices at the community level through women’s leadership.
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