History:
WAFED is an independent national network of Water and Energy projects-affected people and local concerned groups in Nepal. It also has a membership of individual activists engaged in the field of human rights, environment and development in Nepal and internationally.

Formation:
WAFED inherits the legacy of Arun Concerned Group that successfully helped challenge the economic, social and environmental flaws in the World Bank-led Arun III hydroelectric project. After series of campaigns from Nepali Supreme Court to the Bank's Inspection Panel in 1994, it decided to withdraw its support from Arun III on 2 August 1995. The activists carried the spirit of the outcome of two Nepal's most successful campaigns against the World Bank (and others)-funded Arun III Hydroelectric Project in the Arun Valley during the period of 1993-1995 in which the World Bank was forced to pull out from the project after fierce campaigns against the project under the hat of Arun Concerned Group (ACG).

Encouraged by this massive success and the dams and development debate it generated in Nepal and among the lending/donor communities, the activists enlarged this unique experience and process into a National Concerned Society in 1996 in which ACG was a part of it. These groups led various campaigns for the reforms of the ADB-and Japanese-funded Nepal's largest Kali Gandaki 'A' Hydroelectric Project and various other hydropower projects in the country during the period of 1996-2001.

WAFED was formally established in March 2001 after a week-long national assembly of over 100 people from all over the country, including various experts and academics active in Nepal in the field of alternative approach to water and energy resource development. The assembly was organized discuss the findings of the Final Report of the World Commission on Dams (WCD) and its relevance and follow up in Nepal. It has now become a unified structure of various campaign groups and activities that have been taking over the past 10 years.

Structure & Affiliations:
WAFED is governed by a general assembly that meets once a year. Its day to day activities are run and implemented by an elected Executive Committee of 9 to 15 members representing various project-affected areas and campaigns. Most of its Secretariat facilities have been freely provided by the NFC and the Public Interest Law Firm in the past three years. All the Secretariat work and campaign activities have been managed by a group of volunteers from a range of discipline and training.

WAFED is a part of various regional and international network such as the South Asian Solidarity for Rivers and Peoples (SARP) and the International Committee of Dams, Rivers and Peoples (ICDRP). It is also a Forum Member of the Dams and Development Project of UNEP and a most active member of the Nepal's National Task Force and Dams and Development.WAFED is currently the secretariat of South Asian Solidarity for Rivers and Peoples (SARP).