Thousands of women, most of them married and not-so-well educated, have been supporting their families working at home in the Kathmandu Valley. Some women, like Gauri, weave Dhaka topi while others knit sweaters, shawls and gloves. Others make handicrafts or embroider clothes. As the Valley´s population increases, more and more women are entering into what is now emerging as a an informal profession. [break]
Those women who work at home are not directly affiliated to any employer. They do not need to regularly go to office, either. They can make a few bucks while looking after their babies, too. Hence, it is a form of informal profession. Especially, women from lower or lower middle-class groups are into this profession to support their husbands to run families.
According to a study, across the country, over 600,000 people are into such informal professions, 75 per cent of them women. As women working in this sector are not organized, they are vulnerable to financial exploitation. Some do not get their dues. Many are forced to work on very low wages. "Our wage is not fixed; it keeps fluctuating," says Gauri.
But, there are no other suitable alternatives for women like her who are not allowed to work outside of their homes and do not have academic degrees.
Some women employed in this sector belong to socially vulnerable groups. Some have lost their husbands. Some have been deserted by husbands. Some of them have to look after their children on their own. As they lack education and other skills, they feel trapped in a vortex of hardship.
Even though they are not bound to a particular work-place and time-period, working at home is not as easy as it seems. As their earnings depend on how much they work, most women toil for hours -- some times even till midnight, which causes several problems to their health. Most of women suffer from low eyesight and backache, among many other problems. They look older than their age.
In some cases, husbands get irritated at their wives as they give their whole attention to work. This creates tension in the relationship, some times leading to divorce.
Unfortunately, home-based work has not been recognized as a profession. This is why most of women employed in this sector do not feel they are as productive as their husbands. Hence, they do not assert their rights. This is not the case only in Nepal. Anywhere in the world, home-based women workers function as an unseen labor force. They are disorganized and invisible but contribute to their countries´ Gross Domestic Products (GDPs).
However, their contribution to the country´s GDP has never been a topic of debate. The government has never come up with any plan to safeguard home-based women´s rights. As most of them get their jobs through middlemen, home-based women workers do not know how much prices their products exactly fetch. They are likely to remain unaware of exact values of their work throughout their lives.
Anusha Rai, who lives in Bhimsengola of Kathmandu, has been working for a garment factory from her own house for the last six years. But, she does not know who she is exactly working for. "I always get orders from middlemen," she says. "There are several middlemen between me and my true employer. But, I never care about him. I am accountable to just my middleman." Certainly, Anusha does not need to know about her true employer. But, she is unaware of the fact that she has certainly been deprived of her actual wage in the process.
Sabina Shrestha, who lives in Thankot of Kathmandu, has been embroidering saris for the last 10 years. Although she works throughout the day, her income has never been decent. "My income is just complimentary," she says.
Pawan Kumar Timilsina, joint secretary at the Ministry of Labor, says it is high time the government dealt with the issue of informal profession seriously. "We are ready to join hands with all stakeholders," he says.
In 2000, the debate over the rights of home-based women worker began. As of now, just 10 countries have signed a declaration to safeguard the rights of home-based workers. In Nepal, however, the issue continues to remain neglected.
Tumkhewa is Kathmandu-based freelance journalist
source: sancharika feature service
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