Union Win: Kathmandu Health Volunteers Will be Recognized As Community Health Workers

Community Health Workers in Nepal are making significant progress in their fight for recognition and rights as workers. Recently, the Nepal Health Volunteers’ Association (NEVA), a PSI-affiliated union, submitted a Charter of Demands to the Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Sunita Dangol. The delegation, led by Binod Shrestha, President of the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), presented their case for recognising them as workers instead of volunteers and inclusion in Nepal’s Social Security Scheme.

During the discussions, the Deputy Mayor provided assurances that she would begin the process of registering CHWs as workers and also include them in the Social Security Scheme. She further committed to tabling their Charter of Demands during the Kathmandu Metropolitan City meeting scheduled for December 20, 2024, with the promise that these demands would be addressed promptly.

PSI has been actively working to organise and empower CHWs in Nepal through capacity-building initiatives. One such effort was a two-day organising workshop held by PSI-affiliate Health Volunteers Organisation of Nepal (HEVON) on November 16-17, 2024. This workshop focused on organising CHWs into unions and providing trade union education. It was attended by 35 CHWs from Parsa District in Madhesh Province, with 35% of participants being young workers. The workshop culminated in the formation of a 15-member committee led by Sharmila Neupane, who will spearhead union activities in the region.

CHWs through unions in Nepal have already been winning small but significant improvements to their conditions. Every year, during Health Volunteers Day, outstanding CHWs are acknowledged for their dedication and awarded a cash prize. This year, the prize money has been increased to NPR 5,000 (USD 37). Additionally, allowances for CHWs participating in national programmes are set to rise, although the exact amounts have not yet been finalised.These ongoing efforts are part of a larger movement across the region to ensure that CHWs are not only recognised as workers but also receive the rights and benefits they deserve. As the slogan resonates: “Community Health Work is Work!”