Raksha Nepal organise province level workshop with Nepal police, human right commission and national women right commission

Raksha Nepal organized province level interaction meeting to advocate the rights of women workers of informal entertainment sector (IES) at Province 3, Kathmandu. The interaction meeting was actively participated by Deputy chief of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, national human rights commission, member of Social Development Department, National Women's Commission, Labor and Employment Office, District Administration Office, Nepal Police, Restaurant Business Association, Human Trafficking and Investigation Bureau, social activist, Employers of informal entertainment sector, self employed activist and journalist .

The entertainment sector (dance bars, cabin restaurants, massage parlors, dohori, khaja ghar) is an area that occupies a large number of labor. Due to the increasing urbanization in Nepal, the number of women workers at informal entertainment sector is also increasing day by day. There are Government laws to create the decent environment at the informal sector but implementation does not exist to well manage this sector. But recently, on the initiative of various social organizations, local levels have worked to understand the condition of womenworkers. The Labor Act 2074 has not given recognition of the women workers of informal entertainment sector. Although the Labor Act mentions that all sectors are formal, it does not seem to be fully implemented in the entertainment sector. Even now, workers are forced to work by hiding their profession. Because of social barriers and mis conception of informal entertainmnet sector they are facing different kinds of problems. Social and Cultural Rights of 1996 include the right to work and respectable wages in the workplace, the right to choose a job, women's reproductive rights, not allowing gender discrimination, the right to form a trade union, the right to move, the right to social security and Provision has been made to ensure the promotion of sustainable livelihood.

Important Discussion Points of the Program

1. There is the need for strong advocacy and lobbing to create pressure on the Government of Nepal in order to create a decent job environment in the informal entertainment sectors so that the rights of the women will be ensured and they may feel dignified at their work.

2. Women workers of informal entertainment sector themself raise their voice for appointment letter and other social security to local level government and at the workplace.

3. Women Workers of informal entertainment sector should be open and dignified for their job/work.

4. More programs for vocational skills training, entrepreneurship development and access to micro finance, and awareness rising should be implemented in days to come.

5. Like-minded Trade Unions and related associations should jointly work for solidarity.

6. Survey must be done to find out the actual data and root cause of women involving at informal entertainment sector.