The partnership recognizes that care work plays a vital role in supporting families, communities and national economies, yet much of this work remains unpaid, undervalued and largely carried out by women. The unequal burden of unpaid care responsibilities often limits women’s participation in employment, entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities in Nepal.
The agreement was signed by Numan Özcan and Babu Kaji Thapa in the presence of Ramesh Prasad Pokhrel. The collaboration focuses on transforming care work into a recognized and valued sector capable of generating sustainable employment and strengthening social wellbeing.
Under the programme, care service centres will be established in Madhesh, Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces, where access to organized care services remains limited. These centres will provide childcare and support services for older persons while also connecting communities with social protection information and services.
The initiative is designed to improve economic opportunities for women by reducing unpaid care burdens and enabling greater participation in the workforce and entrepreneurial activities. At the same time, it aims to create new decent jobs in the care sector with stronger connections to social security systems and worker protections.
The programme also seeks to build a scalable and locally owned model by working through Nepal’s extensive cooperative network. Thousands of cooperatives across the country will receive training, tools and support to deliver structured and sustainable care services that meet national quality standards.
The partnership includes plans to develop a national pool of trainers on care cooperatives and create care champions in targeted provinces. These advocates will work to promote recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care work while supporting decent working conditions, social dialogue and collective bargaining for care workers.
ILO officials emphasized that investing in the care economy should be viewed as an investment in people, productivity and inclusive economic growth rather than a social cost. The initiative aims to ensure that women and marginalized communities are not left behind as Nepal advances its broader development goals.
Representatives from the National Cooperative Federation of Nepal described the programme as an important pilot initiative that demonstrates the potential of cooperative-based approaches to address social and economic challenges related to care services and gender equality.
