ABSTRACT
Shrinking glaciers and reduced snowfall in the Nepal Himalayas have affected the livelihoods of the mountain communities. This is due to the reduced levels of moisture in the fields resulting from declining snowfall. Repeated farm failures have driven young men to migrate outside the village to work mostly as unskilled labour. The consequences of these demographic shifts on the resilience and vulnerabilities of the communities are mixed. This chapter examines issues of gendered vulnerabilities, coping mechanisms and adaptation strategies in the upstream high-altitude areas of the Gandaki river basin in Nepal. Based on qualitative data, it shows that the vulnerabilities among social groups vary due to differential climatic conditions and social capabilities to respond to stressors. It illustrates potential steps to strengthen resilience to changing climate from a gender lens for communities living in high mountain regions.
