Vicious Triangle of unemployment, lack of dignity of labour & Gender

The unemployment, lack of the dignity of labor and gender imbalance are the three angles of a triangle that has been neutralizing Nepal’s overall development. Though these issues seem isolated, they are deeply interrelated and interdependent, each affecting other. Among the above three issues, the “lack of dignity of labor” is central to other two problems namely unemployment and gender Imbalance. Ironically, we have not even begun to recognize their correlation. If we can increase the dignity, respect for labors, we will automatically address the other two issues to a considerable level.

In Nepal, the problem of unemployment has been created largely due to social taboo, negative attitude and disability to see the opportunities, the key reason being the total absence of dignity of labor. There is strong, deep-rooted attitude in the Nepalese society, which believes that rich, educated, successful do not work hard; only the lowly, uneducated and poor people work hard. Common people take pride in having to do nothing. This attitude reflects well when middle class parents scold, their children “if you do not study well you will land up being kam Garne Manchhe (literal translation is “a person who works) like Rame or the postman that brings letter to our house?

Every Nepali student aspires to take white-collar job even if it means getting less income. In Nepal, it is unthinkable for educated youths to take up jobs such as waiter, carpenter, taxi driver, newspaper delivery, farmer, bell boys, housekeepers, as it is unthinkable for an university graduate to be a chef, artists etc fashion designers, movie actors, farmers, agriculturist, and many areas of job that are not even known to us. Due to negative social attitude towards manual labors, self-employed Indian migrant occupies majority of such labor-intensive jobs in Nepal. However, the same Nepalese youths do not mind taking up such jobs in other foreign countries like US and European countries where there is high dignity and honor for labor.

There is need for putting up more value and recognition on dignity of labor as a part of strategies to increase employment opportunities in Nepal. There is also need for exploring, experimenting and encouraging creative way to increase employment opportunities in Nepal. For example, Nepal’s roads are dirty since there are no toilets on the road. Therefore, pedestrian are compelled to use back of the tree, walls, and everywhere as open toilets. One way to address this problem as well as to increase employment problems is subcontracting private parties to construct and manage 100,000 pay toilets in all urban cities of Nepal that can employ at least 200,000 to 300,000 people. This will benefit all the parties, the businesspersons, public as well as local youths who will get employment opportunities. Similarly, reinventing the agricultural area with modern technology can create jobs for thousands of youths. Several such hidden opportunities could help increase national GDP.

The lack of dignity of labor has also caused a big gender imbalance; their correlation has yet to be recognized. In fact, the problem of gender imbalance came from the premise that discriminate one kind of work against others, glorifying and overrating certain kinds of works than others. For example, females’ responsibilities such as cooking, dishwashing, cleaning, ironing, cloth washing, and child raising and taking care of home have been arrogantly underrated compared to the male’s breadwinning responsibility which are overrated. The equal importance of both kinds of works for a happy family has never been recognized. There is silent but strong social classification or division of works between males and females members of family that has caused a great gender imbalance.

My father who was a Secretary General of parliament did not know even how to stop the stove. He once went to kitchen to see milk being boiled out of the pot. Instead of switching off the stove, he came all way long from the fourth floor of our old house to the first floor to inform my mother. Similarly, we were highly discouraged to stay long in the kitchen, let alone cook the food. “Hey, why you males are in the kitchen? That’s female area” my mother used to yell at us when we went to kitchen. That was our foundation of gender imbalance in our family.

Because female’s part of responsibility has always been underrated, and the same of males have always been over glorified, the females naturally tend to move from domestic chores to more of outgoing jobs. Due to the same very premise, and tradition, males consider it an insult to take part in domestic chores. If there were recognition for equal importance and dignity of both males and females roles, then both genders would have pleasure in shared roles and responsibilities resulting in happier family.

The lack recognition for the dignity of labor has caused multiple blows to the national economy. Firstly, it created unemployment among educated youths who consider it an insult to do any job other than white color jobs. Secondly, it has left the vital areas such as farming, agriculture, labor markets, tourism etc undeveloped due to failure to attract educated youths to work in these areas. Thirdly, it has caused to brain drain due to migration of skilled workers to developing countries. Fourthly, it has caused social injustice due to increased unemployment and social crimes and other social ailments. There could be far more on the list.

Can we increase dignity of labor in the country? Yes, we can; it is worth every effort. It only needs our recognition and commitment to change. If we can make people to change their fashion, shift to buy new brands, products, motivate them to smoke, drinks, we can easily change people’s attitude and behavior to put more value on dignity of labor and save the country. In addition, relevant donors and INGOs should consider changing their strategies to help Nepal overcome their poverty in a more realistic way.

Author can be reached through email rajeeb@rajeebsatyal.com, or URL www.rajeebsatyal.com