Nearly 570.000 people reached 2020 in Bangladesh through

For labour standards: over 175.000 garment workers (57% women and 77% youth) reached.

• Over 170.000 garment workers are more aware of their rights through public outreach. 
  
• 2.700 garment workers are newly organized
• Almost 300 workers received basic or advanced training 
• Over 1.000 garment workers received legal assistance. 
• Nearly 1.000 workers were mobilised to demand an increase of the minimum wage. 

141 people got vocational skill training through GK, and they raised awareness regarding women driving.

350.000 workers were made aware of their social security rights and 60 got a basic training. 

Almost 45.000 people improved their access to health because of GK, with 10.000 people getting direct medical attention.

• Partners:             NGWF, GK, OHS Initiative, BSPAN
• Budget 2020:     100.000€
• Donor:                Belgian Development Directorate
• Programme:        2017-2021

Infographics Bangladeshi workers and social protection during lockdown and COVID-19 - BSPAN

The WSM supported Bangladesh Social Protection Advocacy Network BSPAN also allocated 20% of its annual budget to COVID-19 related activities and raised awareness about pandemic and preventive measures among the workers and their community through 5000 awareness raising flyers and delivered emergency health support and telemedicine among 200 workers and relatives. BSPAN also advocated for COVID-19 to be declared an Occupational Disease.

As the pandemic closed their doors on Bangladeshi garment workers, trade unions step up

The Garment Workers’ Federation NGWF focuses on labour standards and social security for the 2 million Bangladeshi textile workers, mostly women. Over 2.600 workers joined the trade union, and almost 250 received training regarding labour rights and collective bargaining. Over 1.000 workers received legal aid and more than 600 publicly advocated for better working conditions in Bangladesh through rallies, hunger strikes, human chains, memoranda handovers to the government, etc.). Over 200.000 workers were sensitized regarding social security schemes through posters and leaflets and 150.000 workers were reached through their media releases regarding the situation and rights of garment workers. 

Khadija, 26 year old, came to Dhaka in 2015 and started work as an Assistant Operator with 5,300BDT salary. She is from an impoverished family and struggled financially during her life. When she joined in her job in 2015, she didn’t know anything about her rights, about her different types of benefits i.e. work hours, overtime benefits, maternity leaves and benefits, workplace health and safety issues, gender violence etc. As a result, she suffered different types of abuse by factory management who used slang and sometimes beat her. When becoming a member of NGWF, she regularly attended the meetings and training programs relating to Gender Training, Workplace Health & Safety Training, Collective Bargaining Training, Labour Rights Training. Afterwards, she started participating in public demonstrations. This not only helped her improve her working conditions and wages, she shared her knowledge with other workers, got more members and formed a factory union which got registered in November 2020. Khadija is now getting her wage properly and can better support her family. She is very motivated to continue organizing and her goal is to strengthen the union to ensure decent wages and also to stop gender discrimination.

Bringing health services to over 10.000 Bangladeshi people amidst a pandemic in 2020: GK

In 2020, besides offering vocational skill courses to 79 people, GK also offered access to health amidst the pandemic. Over 10.000 members (67% women, 69% young workers) received medical advice or health insurance on preventive care with drug essentials, specialized health camps, grants for destitute groups, HIV/AIDS Screening. 162 people (85% women and 93% young) are provided with basic training on traditional birth attendants, rapport building and communication for paramedics, gender workshops and disabilities. 

During any national and international calamities, GK always tries to respond as early as possible through medical services, reconstruction of damaged houses, and food distribution, including safe drinking water. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GK was working 24/7 across the board. Efforts included various preventive measures in the hospitals and at the community level, including the development of a rapid test kit to detect COVID-19 named GR COVID-19 Rapid Dot Blot, raising fund for an Emergency Food Distribution Program, taking steps to increase social awareness about COVID-19 using social media and distributing leaflets to the general public, establishing a Designated Flu Corner at the Savar hospital and organizing a COVID-19 Call Center to provide telemedicine support and advice (report here).

WSM partner in Bangladesh, Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK), the largest health provider after the Bangladeshi government, is one of the oldest non-profit, non-governmental, and national-level organizations in Bangladesh. GK is a people-oriented healthcare-based organization that provides services in health care, women's empowerment, education, disaster management, emergency relief, nutrition, water & sanitation, agriculture, basic rights-based advocacy, and research. Over the past five decades, GK has expanded its services to cover approximately 1.67 million people in 1,017 villages. GK serves mostly vulnerable and low-income groups in rural areas, mainly through its 44 rural sub-centers and six referral hospitals.

2020 COVID context in Bangladesh

In terms of COVID-19, Bangladesh is the second most affected country in South Asia, after India. The Bangladeshi government declared a lockdown from 23 March to 30 May. Throughout 2020, routine testing was never adopted in Bangladesh. Even though garment factories were allowed to continue operating under the country's lockdown, an estimated one million garment workers, or one-quarter of the workforce, were laid off due to declining orders for export. In April, hundreds of garment workers marched in Chittagong demanding factory owners pay them last month's wages following delays after over 500 garment factories in Dhaka and Chittagong had been shut down for a month. In 2020, a total of 7.781 deaths were registered in Bangladesh because of COVID.

Trade unions at work in Nepal during 2020

 WSM trade union partners continued their focus on the contributory social security fund and trying to ensure informal workers are covered. They joined a task force established by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security to address the pandemic’s impact on the labour market. All three trade unions also established disaster management committees during the lockdown to monitor the impact of the pandemic among their members, and offer assistance where possible. GEFONT’s rapid assessment study found 42% of enterprises did not pay out any form of remuneration from March 16 to April 15, contrary to the commitment made by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

Trade union support helped to survive lockdown

Hari, a taxi driver in Kathmandu: “I hardly made €10 or 1,500NPR a month with which I had to manage for my family of four to live. Due to the never-ending lockdown, the owner of my taxi couldn’t give me my salary. Life went from how to live on my salary to how to survive without it. I felt devastated. The first month we managed with some savings, but from the second month onwards, we had no money, no food to eat. As my son has tuberculosis, all our money went to his medication. Then, my mother got glaucoma and went blind…My trade union, NTUC, provided us with enough food to survive and also some medical facilities to my son. If they hadn’t helped us in this time of need, my entire family would have starved to death.”

INSP!R Nepal working on both contributory and non-contributory social protection in 2020

The trade union umbrella ITUC-NAC focused on better Occupational Health and Safety through advanced training in six sectors. They also promoted the contributory social security through training, advocacy and awareness-raising of over 25.000 workers. This contributed to an increase in enrolment in the Social Security Fund from less than 140.000 to 184.000 workers by end 2020.

Social Protection Civil Society Network (part of INSP!R Nepal) worked to ensure delivery of non-contributory social security schemes to citizens. After years of continuous advocacy by UNICEF and civil society, the Government of Nepal increased their universal child grant districts from 14 to 25 districts, out of a total of 77 districts.

Universal child grant helps family save

Devi, 27, mother of Arian: “We didn’t know about any grants or support from the government. I can sign my name but not much else. When we managed with support to register, we opened a bank account in my son’s name, and so the money gets sent there every four months. It’s good that the account is in his name, because that way we are reminded that the money is for things he needs. My husband works with heavy machinery, but it isn’t easy to find work nowadays. He spent three years working abroad in Malaysia as a driver. He made good money there but, during lockdown, he had to come back, and since his visa had expired, he had to pay for his flight back himself, which was expensive. He is looking to leave again, and I have to support him to do so, even though I will miss him. We also have to help our parents, since they need money to get by. My husband’s parents aren’t getting any support from the government, because they are still five years away from getting the old-age allowance. My father had a stroke, so he receives a disability allowance. I think our government gives these allowances to people in need to ensure a good life for Nepali citizens, which is the right thing to do. But I think the politicians make these schemes so people will vote for them again, so they can get re-elected.”

2020 Nepal output in numbers

In 2020, over 400.000 people were reached with WSM support through:

Labour standards:

1. Close to 200.000 workers, of which 16% women and 8% under 35 y/o, are made more aware of their rights through campaigns and public outreach.
   
2. 1.236 workers, of which 32% women and 55% youth, received basic training and 1.200, of which 25% women and 12% youth, advanced training (of leaders or of Trainers).
3. 270 workers, of which 15% women and 9% youth, benefited from legal assistance.
4. Advocacy: over 200.000 workers (70% women and 4% young workers) are mobilized at grassroots level to publicly demand their rights through demonstrations, petitions, May Day rallies etc.

Vocational skills:  55 people got skill training (82% women and 78% youth) in embroidery, tailoring etc.

• Nepal partners: GEFONT, NTUC, ITUC-NAC, SPCSN        
• Budget 2020: 87.813€
• Donors: DGD, EU INTPA
• Programme: 2017-2021

Context in Nepal in 2020

COVID-19 marred 2020 in Nepal, with 264.000 confirmed cases and 2.800 registered deaths. Strict lockdown rules from March 24 to July 21 wreaked havoc with the economy, causing much distress among workers, particularly in the informal sector. With land borders with India and China closed, and international flights suspended for parts of the year, remittances and tourist incomes (usually 33% and 8% of GDP respectively) dropped sharply. By year end, GDP growth was at 1.8%, compared to 7% in 2019. To cap off a stressful year, Prime Minister Oli dissolved Parliament in December 2020, prompting protests and instability.

The social protection response by the government of Nepal to the COVID-19 crisis was mainly through delivering relief packages to vulnerable households during the initial peak (March-May). These relief package included food aid, a 10% reduction on essential food items, and a 25% reduction on electricity bills. Informal sector workers who lost their jobs were offered positions in public employment programmes for minimum wage, or provided with 25% of the local minimum wage if they chose not to participate.

India 2020 in numbers

 Over 1,17 million Indians were reached in 2020:

• 452.000 people (49% women and 44% youth) are more aware of their labour rights through campaigns and outreach. Trade unions organized over 112.000 workers, of which 91% women and 52% youth.
• Almost 6.700 people, of which 84% women and 55% youth, received basic training in labour standards, social security and health. 6.200 Indians, of which 87% women and 41% young workers, received advanced training (of leaders or of trainers).
• Over 10.000 workers, majority of which were women (82%) and 40% young workers, benefitted from legal assistance for labour rights.
• Advocacy: More than 539.000 people (32% women and 44% young workers) were mobilized at grassroots level (ex. demonstrations, petitions…).

Partner organizations:      CWM-India, AREDS, NDWM, NDWF, CFTUI, SEWA

Budget 2020:              328.230€

Donor:              DGD, Brussels Region International, Familiehulp, ACV Food and Services

Program:              2017-2021 (DGD)

Indian partners advocating together in 2020

During 2020, union protests against the reform of the labour codes continued and took a sharper tone. The partner organizations mobilized their members in collaboration with other recognized trade unions of India. They looked at issues like informal workers’ registration procedures into a database. In September 2020, a nationwide protest held by NDWM, NDWF and CFTUI under the National Platform Domestic Workers demanded National Legislation for Domestic Workers, cash transfers to domestic workers affected by the corona crisis and the implementation of the Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme. 

Memoranda were submitted to the Members of Parliament, Labour Ministers, Labour Commissioners and District Collectors in different states. The partner organizations jointly mobilized over 30.000 workers and provided training to 700 workers, of which two thirds were women.

With the support from Brussels Region, our partners also jointly conducted a study in different states on how informal workers had access to social security schemes during the COVID pandemic, in collaboration with Working People’s Charter. WSM also supported the self-employed women’s trade union SEWA in Kerala to support intra-state migrant workers in getting access to social security schemes.

Amidst COVID-19 and labour reforms - work from WSM partners in India 2020

 Labour law reform

In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the central government pushed through with the biggest labour law reform since independence in 1947, to amalgamate and codify 44 existing labour laws into 4 codes in order to simplify the labour legislation in India: a code on wages; a code on industrial relations; a code on occupational safety, health and working conditions; a code on social security. While the central government and some state governments maintain that the labour law reform is necessary in order to boost productivity and to provide greater flexibility to employers to conduct their business, while expanding the social security to both gig workers as inter-state migrant workers. The reform however triggered a serious backlash from trade unions and other labour movements, claiming it as being ‘anti-worker’ and ‘anti-labour’, resulting in a massive general strike held across India on 26th November 2020 in which they claim 250 million workers took part, a majority of them non-unionized and non-organized workers. The main concerns of the broader labour movement are the extension of maximum working time from 8 to 12 hours per day, the introduction of  restrictions on the right to strike effectively making industrial actions impossible, and the increase of a threshold for collective layoffs from 100 to 300 workers without prior government approval. The workers’ strike was followed by a march of tens of thousands of farmers to New Delhi to protest against the liberalization of the agricultural sector, which could mean the end of government-controlled wholesale markets and minimum support buying prices for agricultural produce.

Coronavirus and lockdown in India

Just like other countries in the world India was struck hard by the COVID-19 virus. On 24th March 2020 a nationwide lockdown was imposed until 14th April and eventually extended until 30th September. This created a lot of chaos as workers, most certainly those in the informal economy (the majority of all Indian workers) could no longer go to work or keep open their business. It led to a collapse in economic activity in the whole country. Due to the loss of income and work, many workers living in the city went back to their family in the countryside, thus contributing to the further spread of the virus. International flights were cancelled and the country’s borders closed, preventing many Indian migrant workers to return home, trapping them for a long time without salary being paid due to the closure of their factory or construction site. Also intrastate travelling became very complicated. 

During the first lockdown, partner organizations took the initiative to help the workers and their families in the relief effort, informing them about the nature of the virus and the health risks, distributing personal protective equipment such as masks and hand gels, raising awareness about the importance of quarantine and social distancing, distributing food and medicines.

Although the partner organizations were able to adjust quite fast to the situation, the pandemic and lockdown resulted in the cancelling of many of the originally planned activities. Mainly trainings in groups could not take place or had to be postponed. The partner organizations successfully started to make use of online meetings to stay connected to their members and each other, which became a (less than ideal) alternative for the normal meetings. Most of the partner organizations (except for AREDS) made use of the possibility to reorient 20% of their annual DGD – budget to aforementioned COVID-19 related actions. The partner organizations took this crisis as an opportunity to strengthen the grass root activities by collaborating with different stakeholders and State departments like the police department ( to create awareness), the welfare departments (to give access to welfare/social security schemes to the informal workers), by mobilizing and supporting public distribution of rations and provisions. By involving these different actors and departments, the partner organizations could analyze how government machineries are responding to shocks, how informal workers and grass root level communities were affected by these measures. This helped them to advocate with different trade unions and national platforms and to mobilise for strikes against the Central Government to protest the new labour codes and farmers’ laws.

Aside from the regular DGD – program funds, WSM also channelled funds to the National Domestic Workers Movement from the Music for Life solidarity action and the Brussels Region International (BRI), which has sistered with Chennai, a city in the southeast of India and capital of Tamil Nadu State. BRI supported the NDWM Tamil Nadu branch in supporting domestic workers and their children who have been evicted from the Chennai city center slums and had been relocated 40km away, causing many to lose their jobs and lacking schools. In the second half of 2020, BRI also provided 50.000€ for relief aid to NDWM and 3 other local Chennai organizations. With the support of Belgian organisation Familiehulp, NDWM was also able to start up and develop domestic workers’ cooperatives in six states.

When your daughter is the first to finish high school, Testimony of a domestic worker - India 2020

Devi, 36 years, a domestic worker from Patna, part of the National Domestic Workers’ Movement since 2009: “I have four children and my husband is a daily wage labourer who does not support the family. The movement staff contacted me and encouraged me to educate my children. With their support I admitted first two children in school and later the other two. Today I am extremely happy that my child, Anjali, has completed her +2 in a reputed school in Patna and my other children are in class 8th, 5th and 3rd. This is the first time in our locality that a girl child  has completed higher secondary studies and she has dreams to become a teacher. NDWM also stood by my family along with 95 domestic workers families in my locality during the lockdown."

Qatar introduces historic reforms to its labour market

In a historic move, the State of Qatar has introduced major changes to its labour market, ending the requirement for migrant workers to obtain their employer’s permission to change jobs, while also becoming the first country in the region to adopt a non-discriminatory minimum wage. 

This new law, coupled with the removal of exit permit requirements earlier in the year, effectively dismantles the controversial “kafala” sponsorship system and marks the beginning of a new era for workers and employers in Qatar. This is an issue WSM partners have been working on for a long time, so definitely a big step forward!

Find out more here. 

International Day For Older Persons

This 1st of October is 30th anniversary of the United Nations designated day to focus and raise awareness about the well-being and needs of the elderly people. "The world marks the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons as we reckon with the disproportionate and severe impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought on older persons around the world – not only on their health, but on their rights and well-being." António Guterres, UN Secretary-General has said.

2020 to 2030 is the 'Decade of Healthy Ageing'. Over the next 30 years, the number of older persons worldwide is projected to be more than double, reaching more than 1.5 billion persons. 80% of them will be in low and middle-income countries. Projections indicate that number of 60-plus people in India will increase to 14.3 crore in 2021 and 17.3 crore in 2026.

Since several years, WSM has facilitated exchanges between OKRA and GK regarding elderly, looking at the changing demographics and ageing. This theme and approach have been shared with the Asia partners and now also in other continents. 

For this 1st October 2020, OKRA contributed to having messages from two Belgian ministers here.  GK organized a discussion meeting in Bangladesh, with Sherpur Upazila Health Officer Dr. Happy Hossain. All the workers of the public health center, Sherpur along with the senior people of the area, Executive Director of the Public Health Center, Golam Mostafa Dulal attended the program. In 2018, GK supported public health centers to form 10 ′′senior clubs′′ in different rural areas of Bangladesh. The clubs provide social services with primary healthcare for seniors and helped keep elderly active and involved. 

India: protest by domestic workers

Nationwide protest held by NDWM, NDWF and CFTUI under the National Platform Domestic Workers  to demand National Legislation for Domestic Workers, Cash transfer to the domestic workers affected by Covid crisis and to implement the Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme. 

Memoranda were submitted to the MPs, Labour Ministers in different States, Labour Commissioners and District Collectors. These are images from States of Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil nadu, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Orissa, Jharkand, Karnataka, Delhi, UP, Kerala, MP and Goa.

The nationwide protests received a lot of media coverage. In a press conference organized in Assisi Auditorium in Dimapur, the NDWM-Nagaland Region laid down four demands for the government. It demanded the recognition of domestic workers as workers, while seeking protection for them against all types of harassment. It also called for social security and access to benefits for the domestic workers and asked the State Government to include domestic workers in the schedule of employment and thus ensuring minimum wages entitlement. “Domestic Workers are essential workers, they are not carriers of diseases, do not discriminate them,” was the NDWM-Nagaland Region’s stand as they joined the nationwide campaign organized by the National domestic workers platform with its 34 unions.

       

    

Looking back to look ahead: A rights-based approach to social protection in the post-COVID-19 economic recovery

The UN special rapporteur for Human rights recently issued a report on how the many measures governments have taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are in line with a human rights based approach. From the two page summary:

"In this report, submitted in response to resolution 44/13 of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur argues that the world was ill-equipped to deal with the socioeconomic impacts of this pandemic because it never recovered from the austerity measures imposed in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008-2011. The legacy of austerity measures is severely underfunded public healthcare systems, undervalued and precarious care work, sustained declines in global labour income shares, and high inequality rates coupled with average decreases in statutory corporate tax rates." ... 

"With public services in dire straits, one-off cash transfers are a drop in the bucket for people living in poverty, whether in developed, developing, or least developed countries. Maladapted, short-term, reactive, and inattentive to the realities of people in poverty, the new wave of social protection hype must hold up to human rights scrutiny. This report identifies eight challenges that must be addressed in order to bring social protection in line with human rights standards."

You can read the full report here.

Youth for Social Transformation: Nepal sees Successful Intensive Discussion for International Youth Day 2020

In Nepal, on International Youth Day, an intensive discussion program on Youth for Social Transformation was held via Zoom. The Minister of Youth and Sports, Honorable Jagat Bishwokarma, was the chief guest for the program with Mr. Madhab Dhungel, Vice-president (National Youth Council Nepal) as special Guest. Mr. Tilottam Paudel, President of Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal and the Coordinator for National Coalition for Girls Rights (NCGR) facilitated the program between 70 participants, including dignitaries from 30 Civil Society Organizations, three iNGOs, five government representatives, 12 civil society networks, representatives from National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Youths. The program was organized by Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal (Jcycn), SDGs Studio and DHR Nepal in collaboration with the National Youth Council and NCGR. It was supported by KANALLAN Switzerland with Devchuli Television as Media Partner. 

The session started with a welcome speech by Ms. Irada Parajuli, executive Committee Member of NCGR. She was followed by Ms. Aastha Anirjit Bastakoti, a girl activist and a peer educator in Jcycn’s Girls Empowerment Program, who shared her experiences with tackling the social problems in her community, and municipality through organization and collaboration. She shared the support she gained, the challenges she faced and gave an inspiring speech to motivate fellow youth to raise their voices and work for social transformation by starting from ourselves, and to put words into practice. 

 Honorable Jagat Bishwakarma, Ministry of Youth and Sports shared the contextual need for programs like these and extended his gratitude and wishes to all Nepalese youth, in and out of Nepal. Focused on the theme of International Youth Day 2020 “Youth Engagement for Global Transformation”, he highlighted the need to create spaces for youth to be engaged and the need to forward a campaign where we can move ahead, together with youth to transform our society, while fighting practices harmful to us, especially child marriage, violence against children and girls, and discrimination, for a better future.

Mr. Sushil B.K.; writer, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Expert and activist, gave a presentation regarding the role youth can take play in eliminating harmful social and cultural practices like Gender Based Violence, Caste best Discrimination, Chhaupadi, Dowry System, and Child Marriage, with the comparative portrayal of the society’s reality and what we need to achieve. Milan Dharel, Executive Director of National Child Rights Council highlighted the need of a critical perspective in youth to move ahead, the need to build trust, and more importantly, be our own role models so that our words are reflected in our actions. This was followed by a speech from Mr. Pushkar Khati, Member Secretary from the Social Welfare Council Nepal, who focused on the need for accountability in youth, self-reflection, and the need to spread that spirit among all the youth in the nation.

In the open floor session,  participants discussed about various ways socio-cultural transformation through youth is possible, including government and stakeholder joint action programs, regularity of collaboration, personal accountability, inclusion of youth with disability, and gender minority, and an organized movement. Dignitaries and participants discussed the government policies targeted at youth, how it has progressed throughout the years but also the gaps in implementation, and especially equitable implementation disaster, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy and youth. Dipendra Sharma from Care Nepal shared his field based experience and the issues that are prevalent in the society, which are especially discriminatory towards girls. The province 5’s head of province of NHRC Ms. Samjhana Sharma also talked about the role the human rights commission has played, and what kind of practices to progress are seen. Activists Bhakta Bishwakarma, Rabin Nepali, Karun Nepali from Raleigh International, and Journalist K.B Rana also shared their views in the discussion forum. 

After the open floor session, Mr. Madhav Dhungel, Vice President of National Youth Council Nepal discussed various programs brought forth by the National Youth Council (NYC) for the engagement of youths, entrepreneurship, capacity building and employment of youth and the role it plays in development of the nation. He also went into how NYC has been mobilizing youth in collaboration with other stakeholders with a goal to generate a progressive society, and working as  a bridge between youth and opportunities. He elaborated on how this can result in a transformative society with active, and engaged youth that are more aware.

 Ms. Manmaya Bhattarai Pangeni, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women Children and Senior Citizens elaborated that 2020 is the year of Generation Equality and how the meaningful participation of youth is important and we need to be creating spaces for them. It is equally important to groom children from an early age and provide them with moral education so that we generate strong youth who are socially responsible. She gave examples of good international practices that have developed a culture of progressive youth. The program ended with a vote of thanks from Mr. Pradeep Lamichhane, Chairperson of SDGs Studio. 

In celebration of the International Youth Day 2020 with the slogan, “Youth Engagement for Global Action”, the main ceremony was celebrated with various virtual programs, on 12th August with Prime Minister KP Oli as the chief guest, and in the virtual presence of international guests from Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka, China and India. The program was led by National Youth Council, in joint collaboration with various other Civil Society Organizations like Jcycn, UNOY, NCGR, SPCSN, AYON, Nepal Scouts, and 100 others. Welcome for the program was done by the Ms. Bipana Sharma, on behalf of AYON, Jcycn, NCFLG Forum and the entire youth. Prime Minister KP Oli focused on youth being the pillar of the nation and how investing in youth is investing in the future. He mentioned that the government of Nepal has allocated 7.6 billion Nepalese Rupees from different ministries and departments in youth sector, and that the priority of the government is to empower youth with knowledge, skills and tools. International Speakers and guests like Honorable State minister H.E. Md. Zahid Ahsan Russel, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Country representative Ms Valerie Julliand, Resident Co-ordinator of United Nations in Nepal, Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Md. Akhter Hossain, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Chairman, National Youth Services, Sri Lanka Theshara Jayasinghe Training Director, National Youth Service Council, Mr. Rasitha Delapola, Sri-lanka, and Deputy Director, International Youth Exchange Centre, Mr. Zhang Hua, China also shared their words highlighting the need to mobilize and engage youth for a better tomorrow. 

International Youth Day 2020, like every year, was successfully celebrated with programs all over the nation.

ILO Convention 190: One year later....

In June 2019, the ILO adopted the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) and its supplementing Recommendation (No. 206). Violence and harassment is unacceptable anywhere and at any time, whether in times of prosperity or of crisis. Nevertheless, the risk of violence and harassment is even higher in crises, including during the current COVID-19 outbreak.

 

To mark the first anniversary of the adoption of both instruments, the ILO will organize a virtual high-level event with the participation of the ILO Director-General, Mr Guy Ryder, to discuss their role in responding and recovering from the current COVID-19 pandemic.

WSM and the members of the network on the right to social protection were strongly invested in the drafting and passing of the ILO Convention 190 regarding Violence and Harassment in the world of work. Today, two members of the ANRSP attended the ILO webinar. Sulistri from KSBSI shared:"Uruguy is the first country which  ratified C190 and Fiji’s ratification has already reached ILO Geneva."

Sr Christy from National Domestic Workers Movement in India added:"ILC190 is even more relevant in COVID-19 pandemic times. Violence against those caring for the sick, disabled and health workers are increasing. There are limited opportunities for trade unions, people's movement and organisations to intervene. We should initiate policy making and awareness raising and it is more important than ever to push governments to ratify and implement the Convention, as C190 protects all range of workers, formal and informal, as well as ethnic groups." 

7th Anniversary of Rana Plaza Tragedy- lighting 7 candles - NGWF

Seven candles were lit on the 7th anniversary since the Rana Plaza Tragedy by the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) in front of their offices in Dhaka, in remembrance of the dead and injured workers. Two orphaned children were also present, besides the president Mr Amirul Haque Amin and selected central leaders.
At the time of the candle lighting, certain demands were put forward by the Federation in relation with Rana Plaza, but also related to the present COVID-19 situation:

About Rana Plaza

1. Punishment of Rana Plaza owner and six garment owners of Rana Plaza;
2. Establish a monument in remembrance of deceased workers of Rana Plaza on the land;
3. Ensure follow-up and medical service for the injured workers of Rana Plaza;
4. Demand of rehabilitation for the injured and families of deceased workers;
5. Continuation of the Accord until the formation of proposed Ready Made Garment Sustainability Council and until the negotiations are done between Buyers and the Trade Unions.

About the present corona-virus

1. Black-list the garment industries are open still and take steps to punish them;
2. Cancel their license and take measures against those owners who did not pay the full salary for the month of March;
3. Those who cut the four-days salary for March must pay these to the respective workers;
4. No fraud can be done to the workers in the name of lay-off. Garment Industries should remain closed under the general leave declared by the Government with full payment;
5. Garment industries can not open until the situation improves and public transportation are available;
6. No delays regarding the April salary and Eid bonus;
7. Stop postponement and cancellation of order, and demanding discount by Buyers
8. With owners and Government, the Buyers must also come forward to take the responsibility for the workers;
9. Initiate rationing system for garment workers by the government.