DidiBahini (DB) is a nationally recognized civil society organization in Nepal dedicated to advancing gender equality, social justice, and inclusive peacebuilding, with a particular focus on women and youth from marginalized communities.
Established over two decades ago, DB has consistently functioned as an educator, facilitator, catalyst, and policy advocate, contributing evidence-based insights to national and international gender and governance agendas.
DB’s programming and research are rooted in the structural and everyday realities shaping women’s lives. The organization has implemented a wide range of research, capacity-building, and advocacy initiatives across key sectors, including education; access to basic services such as water, food, shelter, and livelihoods; social protection; physical safety; legal empowerment; sexual and reproductive health and rights; and political participation. A core area of DB’s expertise lies in conflict transformation and the prevention of violence against women and girls and youth. In this regard, DB hosts and supports several peace resources networks of women and youth that maintain strong, sustained linkages with grassroots communities.
DB works in close collaboration with UN agencies, international organizations, government institutions, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, media, and civil society actors. It has served as the Nepali partner for UN’s global initiative Making Politics Work for Women and has played a significant role in strengthening Women’s Political Watch Groups. DB is also one of the leading partners of global RWEE joint project of UN Women, WFP, FAO, IFAD and UN women. The organization is also the pioneer of the Women Safety Audit (WSA) methodology in Nepal, developed and implemented in partnership with UN Women.
Operating across policy, institutional, and community levels, DB supports gender mainstreaming within major political parties and builds the capacity of government line ministries, local authorities, women, and youth to promote sustainable and inclusive governance. DB is a founding member of Shantimalika, the national Women, Peace, and Security network, and has contributed to gender and social inclusion mainstreaming within Local Peace Committees and District Coordination Committees.
Internationally, DB engages with the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, represents South Asia on the Executive Committee of ASPBAE, and is a member of GPPAC. Nationally, it serves on the core monitoring committees for CEDAW and Nepal’s National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325/1820, National Network on Beijing+ Nepal (NNBN), Inter-Generational Feminist Forum IGFF, Women’s Security Pressure Group (WSPG), Disaster Preparedness Network DPNET, National Climate and Development Dialogue (C&D) and many more.
Contact Person
S
Saloni Singh
Founding Chair, Didi Bahini
Ms. Saloni Pradhan Singh is a senior development economist and leading expert in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) with over three decades of experience in advancing equity, justice, empathy, respect, and applied learning. She is the Former Member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) of the Government of Nepal, the apex national institution responsible for national visioning, policy formulation, and development planning under the Chairmanship of the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister. She is also the founder treasurer of Former Planner’s Forum Nepal (A think tank and network of all the former members, Chairs and Vice Chairs of National Planning Commission of Nepal .Ms. Singh is the Founder Chair of DidiBahini, a pioneering organization promoting gender equality, social justice, and grassroots empowerment in Nepal and across South Asia. Internationally, she serves on the Executive Council of ASPBAE, representing South Asia at the global level. She is also the Gender Focal Point for South Asia and a Global Steering Committee Member of GPPAC, in addition to serving as a Regional Steering Group Member of the South Asia Regional Center for Strategic Studies.She is a founding executive member of the Asia Pacific Women in Politics (APWIP) network and the Founder Co-Chair of the Nepal Participatory Action Network (NEPAN)—Nepal’s oldest and widest network of participatory development professionals. Ms. Singh is also the Founder Chair of the Coady Alumni Association of Nepal (CAAN) and currently serves as a Visiting Scholar at the Coady International Institute, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada.Ms. Singh holds a Degree in Economics from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and a Degree in Social Development from St. Francis Xavier University, Canada, along with professional certifications from several leading universities in the Philippines, Thailand, UK, Canada, USA etc. She is also honored as visiting scholar in some of the universities of Canada and UK.Her professional engagements span Nepal and most South Asian countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. She has collaborated with a wide range of national, regional, and international institutions in the areas of women’s empowerment, disaster risk reduction, climate change, natural resource management, conflict transformation, peacebuilding, green economy, international finance, aid effectiveness, education, good governance, and gender and social equity mainstreaming.A recognized authority in gender and development, Ms. Singh has served as Gender Expert/Advisor for UNDP in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, as well as for Canadian, British, Dutch, German, EU-affiliated, and other international development organizations. She has also led and co-authored significant research works, notably on Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWIP) and Gender, Trade and Green Growth (GTGG) in South Asia.Committed to advancing inclusive, equitable, and transformative development, Ms.Singh continues to contribute her expertise to national, regional, and global policy discourses and development initiatives.
