Miscellaneous
WWP to support informal sector women
Women working in the informal and entertainment sector have formed an organisation to protect the right to livelihood of women working in their field.Women working in the informal and entertainment sector have formed an organisation to protect the right to livelihood of women working in their field.
According to chairperson of Women’s Workers Protection (WWP), the organisation launched on Tuesday will work to address the problem of low level of income, the social stigma attached with this sector which denies women the right to work and live with dignity.
“Women working in entertainment sector are able
to sustain their individual and family livelihood, promoting economic self- dependence as well as contributing to national economy along with cultural promotion and tourism development. However, in a patriarchal society like ours, the work of female is barely recognised, valued or protected,” said Limbu.
Limbu further added that women working in entertainment sector are deemed not worthy to live a dignified life and the aim of WWP is to change the notion by putting pressure on the government to come up with a proper policy and coordination with all stakeholders to turn it into a formal sector and bring effective laws to protect the right to livelihood of women working in this sector.
Cabin restaurants, massage parlours and dance bars make up the core of the entertainment industry and there are an estimated 11,000 to 13,000 women in
the entertainment business in Kathmandu. Low wage, social stigma attached to this sector, and due to lack of proper law which only defines their work as prostitution, a large number of women working in this sector refrain from lodging complaints of injustice done to them.
“Every time there is a raid in a restaurant women are definitely caught but men escape more often than not. These businesses are run in the will of the owners, based either on complete personal will or a few regulations that are set by the owners themselves. WWP must work to stop this trend,” said Bhumika Shrestha, member of Blue Diamond Society.