The project Enhancing Social Protection System: Towards Investments for Results in Nepal was launched at two pilot provinces on 5 February 2021. A high-level panel was held online with the participation of officials at both the federal and the provincial levels, from the EU, the Ministries of Social Development, Labour and Home Affairs, and the National Planning Commission. The event also saw over 40 stakeholders, authorities and participants from civil society organizations and trade unions.
Marco Gemmer, EU Head of Cooperation, the EU Delegation to Nepal, highlighted the importance of inclusive processes to ensure that society’s priorities are reflected in policies that are effective, and explore the synergies between social protection and public financial management, at federal and provincial levels.
Richard Howard, Director of the ILO Country Office for Nepal, emphasized the joint collaboration between EU, UNICEF Nepal, and GCSPF for extending social security to formal and informal sector workers.
The Joint-Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security Binod, Prakash Singh, underlined social security as a fundamental right as per the provisions made in the 2015 Constitution of Nepal.