Acknowledging efforts of Women Labour Activists on Women Human Rights Day

Bhaga Becomes a Labor Activist: A Journey from Struggle to Leadership

Bhaga, married off at 13 with promises of a better life, quickly became a victim of poverty and abandonment. Her life took a drastic turn within a year when her husband left for India, and she was left pregnant, homeless, and dependent on her father-in-law for financial support. After his illness and eventual death, Bhaga, now a mother at 14, became the sole breadwinner for her family, earning just 40 rupees a day.

Despite facing societal gossip and judgment for working alongside men, Bhaga’s determination to provide for her family drove her to persevere. Her wages gradually increased from 40 rupees to 180 rupees, while men were paid 400 rupees for similar work.

In 2018, Bhaga joined the Seti Reflect Circle, where she gained a deeper understanding of labor rights, equal pay, and workplace safety. Working alongside Sam Bikash Kendra Nepal (Equality Development Centre-EDC), she helped lead campaigns for fair wages and better working conditions for female laborers.

Bhaga’s efforts led to significant improvements:

• Secured treatment funds for two injured workers amounting to 20,000 rupees.
• Helped 28 workers in her ward gain temporary insurance and 20 others obtain full labor insurance.
• Advocated for government support, leading to 100,000 rupees from Dipayal Silgadhi Municipality for registering all workers, and 75,000 rupees from Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City to educate women on their rights.
• Recovered 453,000 rupees in unpaid wages for 21 women and increased local women's monthly wages from 6,000 to 11,000 rupees.