National Guidelines in Nepal - Labour

National Labour Policy (1999) (source: www.labournepal.org)

The National Labour Policy (1999) has the objective, inter alia, of adopting a policy to eliminate gender discrimination in employment and of including women in technical skilled education and training. A high level advisory committee shall be constituted with the participation of ministries of Labour and Transport Management, Home and Finance as well as the NPC and foreign employment agencies.

In 1998, a cabinet decision was taken by the government to prohibit women from taking up employment in the Gulf countries with an aim to prevent trafficking. But this decision proved to be more restrictive than protective. In 2003, the government took a first step to reverse the ban and adopted a new policy. One of the major challenges of the labour sector is the lack of opportunities for training and self-employment for women. Under the Tenth Plan, one of the main policy actions is that the self-employment opportunities will be provided to the rural and backward working women by availing skill-oriented training to them.