Nepal is launching a new national initiative to promote care cooperatives, aiming to strengthen community-based care services, support care workers, and reduce unpaid care responsibilities that continue to limit women’s participation in the workforce. The program is being developed with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and implemented in coordination with national cooperative institutions.
The initiative responds to persistent gender gaps in Nepal’s labour market, where women remain heavily concentrated in informal employment while carrying a disproportionate share of unpaid care work within households. These responsibilities have been further intensified by labour migration, reducing women’s access to paid employment, skills development, and leadership opportunities.
Under the program, care cooperatives will be established to provide affordable, community-based services such as childcare, elder care, and other essential support systems. The goal is to redistribute unpaid care work more equitably while also creating decent employment opportunities in the growing care economy.
The initiative includes the training of facilitators who will help cooperatives design and manage care services based on local needs. These trained experts will support cooperative leaders, government representatives, and practitioners in building sustainable care systems across different regions of the country.
Pilot implementation is underway in several provinces, including Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpashchim, where care cooperatives are expected to improve access to services, strengthen local livelihoods, and support more inclusive economic development.
The program also introduces structured training frameworks developed by the ILO, designed to build national capacity for scaling cooperative-based care models. These tools will help standardize approaches, develop model bylaws, and support nationwide expansion through Nepal’s extensive cooperative network.
Officials emphasize that the initiative positions care work as both a social necessity and an economic opportunity. By strengthening care infrastructure and reducing unpaid burdens, Nepal aims to advance gender equality, expand decent work opportunities, and promote more resilient local economies.
