By: Richa Macsuedon, HomeNet South Asia Senior Programme Coordinator
HomeNet South Asia (HNSA) recently hosted its Advisory Board Meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 18 and 19 November 2024. The two-day event brought together HNSA’s Board of Trustees, new Advisory Board members (comprising its affiliate organizations and nominated representatives from WIEGO and HomeNet International), and the HNSA team to brainstorm, understand, and forge collaborative ways to navigate the numerous challenges faced by home-based workers.
Panel discussions on climate change and curbing violence against women home-based workers were extremely enlightening and useful, as were the learning sessions on the achievements gained in each country in the last five years. Collectively, we reviewed the guiding documents—the Kathmandu Declaration and 8-Point Call to Action—and also made an action plan for the next year.
In the closing session, under the able leadership of Chairperson Ms. Renana Jhabvala and Enforcer Ms. Chandni Joshi, HNSA hosted a roundtable discussion: Listening to the Stories from the Ground & Creating Spaces for Home-Based Workers. It was a rare occasion where the dignitaries listened to the powerful voices of home-based workers from South Asia, who bravely shared their stories of resilience, strength, and determination in the face of invisibility. Hon. Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Government of Nepal, Mr. Sharat Singh Bhandari; Hon. Chair of the National Commission for Women; Hon. Member of the Human Rights Commission; Hon. Member of the National Planning Commission; South Asian ambassadors; the Director of SAARC; UN Women; key policymakers; advocates; and many other thought leaders were present at the event.
Their presence and commitment to amplifying the voices of these workers brought us closer to ensuring that their unrecognized, invisible, and uncounted contributions are finally seen, valued, and celebrated. The Honorable Minister also gave the Nepal government’s commitment to ratify ILO C177 in 2026 while addressing the audience.
A book showcasing case studies of home-based workers from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal was also launched at the event by the Hon. Minister in the presence of the four home-based workers who were featured in the book. Together with multistakeholders, HNSA is building a stronger and more inclusive future for home-based workers—one where their voices are heard, their rights are upheld, and their contributions are recognized.
