The open spaces prioritization workshops under the Cities4Women Project: Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Urbanization in Nepal were conducted in September 2024 across five wards of Lamkichuha Municipality. These workshops, organized by UN-Habitat, funded by EU and USAID, in partnership with the UNOPS and Cities Alliance, with the support of local implementation partner Sundar Nepal, aimed to engage local stakeholders in identifying and prioritizing open spaces for inclusive and sustainable urban development. Participants included local government representatives such as the ward chairs, elected officials, and secretaries, as well as community leaders, NGOs, school students, persons with disabilities and women’s groups, with attendance ranging from 20 to 50 individuals per ward. Women made up a significant portion of participants, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity.

The open spaces considered during these workshops were initially identified in close consultation with the ward chairs and their teams during pre-workshop meetings. These consultations assessed multiple factors, including environmental sustainability, land-use dynamics, inclusivity, and the availability of existing infrastructure. This rigorous process resulted in a preliminary list of potential spaces that were refined into a shortlist for further discussion during the workshops. Each ward presented a unique set of shortlisted spaces, carefully evaluated based on their potential for development and alignment with community priorities.