Informal sector marred by poor working condition

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, March 12: Over 90 per cent of the people in Nepal work in the informal economic sector where they are more apt to face poor working conditions due to gender discrimination, lack of social protection, low productivity and hazardous work.

This was revealed at a two-day Tripartite Workshop on the Informal Economy organised by the International Labour Organisation that began here today, a press statement issued by the ILO said.
Addressing the programme, member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Yuvaraj Khatiwada said, "The conditions of the workers in the informal sector are characterised by not only the dismal working conditions, but very often also by their appalling living conditions.

"The conditions of work include non-recognition of work performed, very low incomes, long hours of work, insecure and unsafe work, no benefits, no leave or holidays, no accident or other benefits, sexual harassment and no unionisation to protect their rights."

The national and local government should adopt measures and policies to officially recognise the existence of workers, especially women, in the informal sector, said Dr. Khatiwada. He suggested measures such as extension of social security schemes; implementation of legislation and laws on fair wages and incomes; and development of mechanisms by which workers in the informal economy can be provided access to and control over productive assets and resources. The ILO first coined the term the 'informal sector' about 30 years ago to describe the activities of the working poor who were working very hard, but who were not recognised, recorded, protected or regulated by the public authorities.

Leyla Tegmo-Reddy, Director, ILO said, an ILO report of 1991 on "Dilemma of the informal sector" had called on the ILO to help promote or develop an informal sector as a convenient, low-cost way of creating employment. "But it is impossible unless there is an equal determination to eliminate progressively the worst aspects of exploitation and inhuman working conditions in the sector." In June 2002, the ILO conference had discussed the informal economy, and contrary to expectation, it continued to expand even in the developed countries. The 2002 conference had adopted a series of conclusions on actions that were to serve as guiding principles.

Today's workshop was a follow-up to the International Conference to "bring the discussion to the national level in Nepal". "We consider this meeting as essential for reviewing an integrated approach and the roles of various partners in the world of work in Nepal in promoting decent work in the informal sector," Reddy said.She also said that the ILO was already focussing much of its work in relation to vulnerable, socially excluded groups including the former Kamaiyas, child labourers, Dalits, disabled persons and ethnic groups.On the occasion, Rajendra Shrestha of the FNCCI said, "The informal sector can serve and prove fruitful in the social and economic sectors if it is well-managed".

Regarding the rapid expansion of the informal sector, the government should take better notice of the outcomes of the seminars to ensure implementation of important recommendations. Bishnu Rimal, secretary of Gefont, speaking on behalf of the trade unions, demanded that the government ensure proper security to the people working in the informal sectors. The workshop attended by about 40 participants from different sectors will discuss papers presented by senior specialists on the informal economy.

FNCCI to organise convention on NRN for investment

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, March 12: As part of its promotional programme to attract more investors from Nepalese residing outside the coutry, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) is holding a convention of non- residential Nepalese (NRN) in the second week of October this year.

According to the FNCCI, a preparatory meeting was held today to organise the NRN convention. The meeting held under the chairmanship of Suraj Vaidya decided to form various committees to make the convention a success.

The FNCCI in its press release states that around 200 NRNs will be participating in the convention. The meeting also decided to demand from the government to formulate laws and regulations to accommodate the NRNs.

UML audit committee meets

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KATHMANDU, March l2: The CPN-UML central audit committee's first meeting was held under the chairmanship of party general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal at the party central office, Balkhu today.

Party standing committee members Amrit Bohara and Bharat Mohan Adhikari were present on the occasion.

The meeting unanimously elected Pramesh Hamal as chairman of the committee and Puspa Kadel as secretary.The meeting decided to make the party's financial management more transparent, maintain financial discipline and keep scientific accounts at all party committees across the country, and also held discussions on developing the party's financial sources to make it financially independent, according to a communiqué issued by the party.

FNJ initiates efforts for peace

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KATHMANDU, March 12: The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) has initiated efforts towards establishment of peace in view of the present situation in which an important contribution on behalf of civil society has been felt necessary at a time when the seven year long armed conflict has stopped and efforts are being made towards peace following a ceasefire between the government and the Maoists. In connection with this, FNJ advocate Yuba Raj Sangraula has prepared a draft of the base paper along with a concept code of conduct for the talks and ceasefire following intensive study with a view to taking the government-Maoist talks to an agreement.A discussion programme was held here today with the objective of further reforming the base paper and making it timely and objective-specific.At the programme presided over by FNJ president Tara Nath Dahal, politicians Ramhari Joshi, Nilambar Acharya, human rights activists Padma Ratna Tuladhar and Malla K. Sundar and other speakers commented on various aspects of the base paper.The base paper, besides discussing the causes of the people's war and its characteristics, has given special attention to the causes directly or indirectly playing a role in creating conditions for the people's war.Topics such as poverty, corruption and the unpolitical character of the political parties as indirect factors leading to this situation and the failure to pay attention while revoking the recognition given to political parties represented in parliament as the direct cause were put forth at the discussions.The base paper discusses extensively the excesses that occurred during the people's war and also makes a prognosis of the problem of displacement of people in the backward districts of the Western Region and the situation of distress it can bring about.Similarly, the base paper has included the bloodletting and the killing of innocents as well as family problems as some of the serious challenges.The base paper also estimates the extent of future problems that might arise if an agreement only on power-sharing is reached during the talks. It suggests that problems like corruption, land management, Dalits and decentralisation should be made the focus of the talks.The base paper has also discussed the basic rules of the code of conduct.

Govt-NGO partnership can alleviate poverty

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POKHARA, March 12: The fourth general convention and the ninth general meeting of the NGO Federation Nepal began here today. The main slogan of the general conference is 'Respect for peace, good-governance and human rights: Social development our campaign'. Over 1,600 social workers and human rights activists from 48 districts across the Kingdom are taking part in the general convention.

Inaugurating the general convention, National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice-Chairman Dr. Shanker Sharma said that if the government and the NGOs work together, it would help in attaining the goal of poverty alleviation. The national and international NGOs have been spending Rs 5 to 6 billion annually in the country's socio-economic development and His Majesty's Government also allocates nearly Rs 3 billion to local bodies, he said and added that the NGOs would have a still more important role to play in carrying out development work more effectively after peace is restored in the country.

Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Dr. Henning Karcher said peace and development are the two sides of a coin. He added that civil society has a paramount role to play in taking the country ahead towards progress. Former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana, stating that no political party would budge from its stand without pressure from the public, pointed out that civil society and the NGO Federation should play a concrete role in bringing the government and the rebels to the negotiating table and finding the point of convergence.

At the programme presided over by chairman of the NGO Federation Gauri Pradhan, human rights leader Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha, president of the A.I.N. Rabin Nidam, treasurer at the Social Welfare Council Prativa Subedi, central members of the NGO Federation Surya Bahadur Thapa and Keshav Prasad Regmi, general secretary Shanta Lal Mulmi, former Pokhara Mayor Krishna Thapa, Dr. Arjun Karki and others also expressed their views.

Armed police organise GPS training

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, March 12: AIG of Armed Police Dilip Kumar Shrestha distributed certificates to the trainees of Global Positioning System (GPS) today at the closing ceremony of the GPS training at the Armed Police Headquarters.

The training, first of its type in Nepal, was participated in by 21 senior and junior armed police officers.
The technology that has recently been introduced in the world helps police personnel to locate a place, thereby enhancing their job in search operation, according to the Armed Police.

Asia Urbs wants local partners for programmes

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, March 12: Asia Urbs, Europe-Asia Partnerships for Urban Development, is seeking local partners to implement urban development programmes in Nepal."Asia Urbs wants local partners to introduce new projects in Nepal," Vincent Rotge, programme coordinator at the Asia Urbs Europe Aid Cooperation office said here today.Asia Urbs will fund 65 per cent of the total cost of a project while the remaining cost must be met by the local partners who could be the local government, NGOs and INGOs.The duration of the projects is between six months to two years.The European Union, a development partner of Nepal, funds and operates Asia Urbs.Asia Urbs, which has been currently carrying out 200 projects in 25 countries, including Nepal.It is currently carrying out a project in Khokana village of Lalitpur.Rotge said that the key areas of co-operation include urban management, socio-economic development, environment, social infrastructure, capacity building and poverty alleviation.

Review of HMG-Denmark environment programme ends

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KATHMANDU, March l2: The second joint review of the Environment Area Cooperation Programme under implementation through joint cooperation between His Majesty's Government and the government of Denmark concluded here today.The cooperation programme, which intends to manage the industrial and urban environment, covers an environment management foundation, clean production at industries, a common polluted water treatment mechanism at Hetauda Industrial Area, institutional consolidation, and air quality management in Kathmandu Valley.The programme has been approved for five years and the first phase ends in July 2004, according to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.In view of the progress made under the programme, the two sides have agreed that the funds which are expected to be saved through austerity in the use of the grant assistance provided by the Danish government will be utilised to extend the programme till July 2005 and take necessary initiative for launching the second phase of the programme during that extended period, it is stated. Both sides have lauded the progress made so far and agreed to make their activities still more effective, it is also stated.The agreement in this connection was signed today by secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lava Kumar Devkota on behalf of HMG and the Charge d'Affaires at the Royal Danish Embassy in Nepal.

'Educational programmes need to be expanded'

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, March 12: Assistant Minister for Education and Sports Rabindra Khanal has pointed out the need to expand educational programmes in backward areas in a balanced way.Speaking at a programme to mark the Third Parents Day of Kathmandu Don Bosco School, Minister Khanal said that the educational sector should be developed as a peace zone. The students of the school had presented various programmes on the occasion.Lauding the children's programmes, he said that such programmes symbolically satirised those who did not want peace in the country.

The School Director Kapil Regmi, while presenting the annual progress report of the school, said that the school would implement practical programmes for the overall development of the students.