Despite their important role in production systems of the mountains, very little data exists on the situation of mountain women and analysis of gender relations in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region. Scanty information can be gleaned from anthropological ethnographies, but, otherwise, studies on the status of women in the countries of the region are by and large focussed on women from lowland and urban environments. What is clearly missing is a description of their situation told by mountain women themselves. To learn of this 'hidden perspective',17 female researchers from eight countries of the Hindu Kush -Himalyan region (Afghanistan, Banglades, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan) were involved in the collection of information on the status of women in mountain areas during 1996 and 1997. The issues discussed below are based on the finding of this research.
