By Jagat Man Lama Dong, Chairperson, Indigenous Rights Foundation
The rural municipality of Umakunda, located in the ancestral homeland of the Sunuwar People, is a prime example of the disruption to communities caused by climate change. Many Sunuwar are leaving for cities because they can no longer earn a living from farming, their traditional occupation. Biren Sunuwar (Sunuwar) from Kubukasthali articulates the trend: “There is nothing in the village. It’s impossible to make a living here.”
By Dev Kumar Sunuwar (Koĩts-Sunuwar, CS Staff)
Nepal’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the fourth time on January 21, 2026. During the 51st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, members of the international community assessed Nepal’s progress and the persistent challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples.
By Dev Kumar Sunuwar (Koĩts-Sunuwar, CS Staff)
Cultural Survival stands in solidarity with people in Nepal, especially with Indigenous Peoples, against the government's decision on September 4, 2025, to ban 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The government claims this ban was put on social media platforms because they did not follow the registration regulations.
By Dev Kumar Sunuwar (Koĩts-Sunuwar, CS Staff)
By Dev Kumar Sunuwar (Koĩts-Sunuwar, CS Staff)
By Karma Rinji Sherpa, Station Manager, Radio Kairan 96.4 FM, Ramechhap, Nepal
Radio Kairan, a beacon of community radio in a remote village of Ramechhap district, Nepal, has successfully addressed a major challenge: updating outdated equipment that was hindering quality broadcasting. With support from the Cultural Survival Indigenous Community Media Fund, the station has been revitalized, allowing it to effectively serve listeners in their mother tongues of Sunuwar, Tamang, Sherpa, as well as Nepali.
Cultural Survival and our partner organizations in Nepal, including Nepal Tamang Women Association, Newa Misa Daboo, Sunuwar Women Society, Indigenous Women's League Nepal (IWL Nepal), and National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal (NIDWAN), submitted an alternative report on the situation of Indigenous women’s rights in Nepal for the 90th session of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which will take place in Geneva from February 3rd to 21st, 2025.
The Indigenous Rights Foundation uses ITV Nepal (a satellite television channel in partnership with Indigenous Television) to advocate for Indigenous rights and promote their languages. ITV Nepal produces programs in 20 Indigenous languages, increasing their voices and their access to the media. This has strengthened the use of Indigenous languages and promoted freedom of expression in Nepal.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.