Many countries in the region still face issues of fragmented education data systems causing difficulty in compiling data for various sub-sectors of education. There is also a lack of large-scale learning assessment data which inadvertently causes difficulty in monitoring learning outcomes, all of which is hampered by low capacities in data processing skills that hinder the full use of data to identify key areas of attention. In this regard, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), together with country offices, work closely with member states to strengthen national capacities in education data collection, compilation, and use of data for policymaking, planning, and monitoring by providing appropriate tools, methodologies, guidelines etc. In this connection, UIS in collaboration with UNESCO Bangkok and UNESCO Kathmandu organized a 3-day long regional workshop 'Strengthening National Capacities in Education Data and Statistics for Evidence-Based Policy Making, Planning and Monitoring of SDG4’ 19-21 October in Kathmandu with eight participating South Asia member states. 

UNESCO Office in Kathmandu in Collaboration with the Nepal Forum of Science Journalists (NFSJ) organized a two-day residential workshop ‘Climate Reporting Workshop, Communicating Science for Society’ from Oct 14-15 2022. The workshop was organized as a continuation of the series of training and workshops after the Himalayan Climate Boot Camp 2022. The main objective of the workshop was to impart the necessary knowledge and skills for participating Science Journalists to produce community-focused, evidenced-based stories on climate change including adaptation and mitigation initiatives emerging at the community level. 

UNESCO together with the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory is organizing its first-ever ResiliArt dialogue in Nepal "ResiliArt Nepal: A Sustainable Career in Music" on Friday, 2 September 2022 from 14:00 – 16:00 hrs NPT at Moksha in Lalitpur. The dialogue is organized in a hybrid format. For the online audience: Link:  https://unesco-org.zoom.us/j/81941704149 Passcode: 266814 For physical participants: Please register: https://bit.ly/3piu6Rg ResiliArt Nepal is part of the ResiliArt global movement that UNESCO is organizing bringing a series of dialogues to promote sustainable careers in different fields of the Culture Sector. UNESCO invites the artistic communities, youth leaders, cultural professionals and practitioners including young thinkers across the country and beyond to join the dialogue to deeply reflect on the current state of the diverse fields of culture through their own lens and contribute to leveraging their roles in the sustainable development. ResiliArt Nepal: A Sustainable Career in Music will lead a discussion on leveraging the role of Music by stimulating dialogue and elaborating on the state-of-art and challenges faced. The COVID -19 pandemic, in addition to negatively impacting the lives and livelihoods of the creative and performing arts sector, revealed the shortcomings, weaknesses and opportunities of Music as a source of resilience. Nepal's music industry is yet to properly address fundamental artists' and musicians' rights such as fair pay, royalties, copyright protection etc. The pandemic also revealed the culture sector requires a fundamental paradigm shift to grow sustainably and better handle future crises. This kick-off dialogue, therefore, will bring together key players and stakeholders of the Nepali music industry to discuss the challenges related to the music industry. It will explore questions about how and why it is important to obtain fair recognition and remuneration and copyright protection for the work of a musician. The dialogue will explore the way forward toward a more sustainable future for artists. ResiliArt is a UNESCO global campaign launched on 15 April 2020 to capture the resilience and grievances of artistic and cultural professionals in the face of the COVID-19 crisis through virtual debates. This pioneering platform of open exchange has not only exposed the vulnerability of the culture sector but also showcased that we are not alone. It continuously serves as an inclusive and solution-oriented dialogue on key and emerging issues that affect the growth, well-being and dignity of cultural workers and their industries. UNESCO will continue to be a vehicle for civil society actors, analyzing and delivering the voices on the ground to decision-makers.

Women and Indigenous Knowledge in the Water Sector 8:00am-9:30am (NPT), 8 March 2022 OVERVIEW International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated worldwide every year on the 8th of March to recognize and honor the accomplishments of women and to increase awareness for gender equality and equity. To commemorate IWD 2022, the Tribhuvan University Alumni Association (TUANN), along with Small Earth Nepal and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Office in Kathmandu, will be hosting a webinar on 8 March 2022 to highlight the importance of women and indigenous knowledge for a sustainable future.  Women and indigenous communities are disproportionately affected by water insecurity, exacerbated by climate change. In several low-income countries like Nepal, girls and women are primarily responsible for collecting and managing water resources for household use, which often leads to a loss of livelihood opportunities and education. Indigenous Knowledge and women’s participation are therefore essential in addressing the multitude of complex challenges in water-related issues brought forth by climate change. Their knowledge systems and experiences are key to adopting measures to mitigate and adapt to these changes, as well as to maintain a balance in the ecosystem through a sustainable approach to water management. Therefore, this International Women’s Day we highlight the importance of both women and indigenous knowledge in the water sector. PURPOSE OF THE WEBINAR The webinar will focus on amplifying the importance and inclusion of indigenous knowledge and women in dialogues that seek solutions to maintain and manage water in Nepal. The webinar will host two keynote speakers, Dr. Soni Mulmi Pradhanang from the University of Rhode Island and Prof. Sudarshan Raj Tiwari from Tribhuvan University. In her presentation, Dr. Pradhanang will be addressing the barriers and challenges women professionals face in the water sector and in the field of Geosciences. She will talk about the importance and opportunities to fix this ‘leaky pipeline’ phenomenon by building a supportive scientific network and establishing mentoring programs for female scientists. Prof. Tiwari will be informing the audience about the technology and knowledge system behind the traditional urban water supply element of Hiti and women’s access to water in ancient Nepal. Together, they will provide an important insight about the role of women in water management, historical access of women to water sources, and the role, barriers and participation of women in Hydrology and Geoscience.  The session will be moderated by Dr. Dhiraj Pradhananga from Tribhuvan University. Mr. Michael Croft, UNESCO’s Head of Office and Representative to Nepal and Prof. Sunity Shrestha Hada, the Chairperson of TUAAN, will be providing their remarks after the presentations.