Global policies address both the preservation of cultural heritage and the inclusion of women in public life despite gender exclusion being common and conspicuous in various traditions. Little research exists about how these policy goals can be navigated in the field of music. This transdisciplinary collaborative research project seeks systems understanding of the drivers for change towards gender equality through the case of Nepal where rituals and festivals feature patriarchal music making, and girls and women are largely absent from music education, music professions, and public life. With public pedagogy as a guiding approach, the research focuses on the politics of women and girls' music making in Nepal to co-develop transition designs and leadership pathways towards more inclusive and sustainable societies. The research is based at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki and is in cooperation with Kathmandu University and Echoes in the Valley.

2023

2026