Although everyone have been talking about economic empowerment of women, only a few talks about the right to choice of women in labor market. The recently there is a good debate going on balancing paid work and unpaid care to achieve women’s economic empowerment.

Oxfam is organizing a national level sharing workshop on a research entitled “Balancing Unpaid Care Work and Paid Work”.

It is a part of the Growth of Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW) Program. The research is carried out in Nepal by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST) and it also a part of a multi-country (India, Nepal, Tanzania and Rwanda) project.

 Participated by high level government officials, civil society organizations’ representatives, experts and other stake holders, the workshop disseminate the findings of the study on social organization of care, precarious condition of work in informal sector and balancing paid work and unpaid care work and, it also attempted to collectively brainstorm and identify areas of policy intervention and Policy advocacy.

Highlighting the GrOW project, Alejandra Vargas Garcia, IDRC, said that the issue of women empowerment need to look from diverse and various perspectives.  Introducing the work in South Asia Deepa Chopra from IDS said they have conducted intensive interactions in two areas of western Nepal.

Divided into four session, the first session was chaired by Dr. Suresh Dhakal with the presentation on social organization on care by Anweshaa Ghosh of ISST. Renuka Gurung of Oxfam and Pukar Malla spoke as speakers.

Chaired by Dr. Bimala Rai Poudyal, Anjam Singh of ISST spoke on second session on precious working conditions of women in unorganized sector. Followed by the comment from Om Thapalyia and Sudha Khadka.

Presenting paper, Anweshaa Ghosh and Anjam Singh of ISST on balancing paid work and unpaid care work stated the overall scenario of the respective region. Bimal Gadal, sustainable program development program director, conclude the program

 At a time when there is growing debate over women empowerment, only a few talks about the balancing the paid and unpaid care work.  Opening the Dissemination Workshop, Cecilia Keizer, country director of Oxfam Nepal , said that the issue of unpaid care work is overlooked and this need to be look in the context of women empowering.