Kathmandu: International Labour Organization (ILO) and National Cooperative Federation of Nepal (NCF) collaborated together to expand access to care services, create decent jobs, and unlock greater economic opportunities for women across Nepal.
Speaking at the implementation agreement signing ceremony, Numan Özcan, ILO Country Director for Nepal, said, “By investing in care cooperatives, the partnership will help transform care work into a recognized and valued sector, creating jobs, expanding access to affordable care services, and easing the burden on families.”
For communities, this means greater access to reliable childcare and care services for older persons, allowing more women to seek employment or entrepreneurship. For workers, it means new opportunities for decent, paid work in the care economy, with stronger links to social protection systems. For the economy, it represents a shift toward more inclusive and sustainable growth.
The programme will support the establishment of care service centres in Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpashchim Provinces, regions where access to such services is limited and the need is greatest. These centres will not only provide care services but also connect communities with social security information and support.
Speaking on the occasion, Ramesh Prasad Pokhrel, Acting Chairperson of NCF, highlighted, “We are committed to fulfilling our responsibilities as we have this opportunity to work with the ILO. We also recognize the importance of addressing CARE-related issues through a cooperative approach.”
Similarly, Babu Kaji Thapa, General Manager of NCF, stated, “This is a new pilot initiative for Nepal and holds great significance for us and we are committed to demonstrating our work successfully.”
Importantly, the initiative is designed to go beyond isolated interventions. By working through Nepal’s extensive cooperative network, reaching thousands of primary cooperatives nationwide, it aims to build a scalable, locally owned model that can be expanded across the country.
Through training, tools, and national standards, cooperatives will be equipped to deliver quality care services, ensuring that the sector grows in a structured, sustainable, inclusive and gender equitable manner. This partnership will support in preparing national pool of trainers on care cooperatives and develop care champions in three provinces to advocate the need to push for recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care work and ensure rewards with decent work for care workers and their representation in the social dialogue and collective bargaining.
The initiative emphasizes that care is not a cost but a critical investment in people, productivity, and social wellbeing. As Nepal continues its path toward inclusive development, strengthening the care economy will be essential to ensuring that no one especially women and the most marginalized are left behind.
