Women Workers in Nepal’s Popular Employment Sector
Bhawana UPADHYAY (Nepal)
Agriculture is the major employment sector, covering 76% of the employed labor force
in Nepal. The available statistics show that 85.19 % of the total female workforce
compared to 67.06 % of total male work force is engaged in this sector.
Women workers in agricultural sector are broadly divided into self-employed andwage employed workers. Self-employed woman workers are mainly unpaid familyworkers. Unpaid family workers have a custom called parma. Namely, in rural Nepali
society, agriculture workers perform activities by exchanging labor with close relatives,
friends who work together in their agricultural fields. Under the parma system, there
will be no payment of wages to workers of neighborhood families.

However, for thesame number of days, workers from each of the families will equally work on eachothers' farmland.
Statistics show that over the last three decades, the labor force participation rate of
women has increased due to women’s increasing engagement in informal sectors. Andaccording to a recent National Living Standard Survey, women’s participation in thelabor force is 71.3 %. However, there is gender discrimination in the informal
employment sector. Biases against girls and women start at home and extend to ourcommunity and institutions. Patriarchal notions are further reflected in state policies
and laws as well as in the entire legal system.
Sexual harassment is another alarming issue with both formal and informal
enterprises. Moreover, sexual harassment is naturally more visible in the informal
sectors of work. In addition, women from working families being trafficked forcommercial sexual exploitation is very common.
Women right activists argue that because of gender insensitive political parties, thepolicies-programs and plans of the government and election manifestos are pro male.
Also, feudal socio-economic relations are stronger among employers. And as long thismentality exists for female employment in the formal or informal sectors, women haveto suffer severe discrimination.
According to the President of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs’ Association ofNepal (FWEAN) and the vice chairperson of the SAARC Chamber Women
Entrepreneurs Council (SCWEC) Nepal, 500,000 women are self-employed in micro andmedium level enterprises.

And, most of the training provided to women is mostly

traditional, such as, tailoring, crafts, cooking which are limited to home basedbusinesses. Small scale and informal businesses contribute 77 % of the economy.

Some Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) officials
advised that female run registered businesses is about 3,000, which is a very low
number. And the reasons for non-involvement of women in entrepreneurship is the lackof education, exposure and credit. The situation is changing and the government has
provided incentives to women in matters of subsidy and tax rebate. According to
officials at Nepal Chamber of Commerce, there is a 50 per cent tax rebate for women
entrepreneurs. Ironically, although there are many facilities for women, they still
remain unaware of them.
Women workers in both formal and informal sectors are also organizing themselves
into a trade union. In addition, they are carrying out NGO activities to makethemselves more aware of various issues related to labor laws. Trade unions and thehuman right organizations are working towards shaping the efforts of government,employers' organizations and business oriented NGO groups for the improvement ofworking women’s conditions.
Although non-governmental organizations
are doing their share of work, government
efforts in implementing existing policies andprograms in favor of women entrepreneurs
have not been effective. The government
should not shy away from feasible initiatives
to foster the spirit of women entrepreneursin the country.
△ A working women as a security personnelof a department store