Extraordinary life stories of women from ordinary households
By Mahima Devkota, Kathmandu, Mar. 10: Women's employment is always empowering or status-enhancing as it creates a way to have control over income and resources thus greater say in family decision-making as well, say representatives of women who got employed and brought changes in their lives.
The common understanding of women that have changed their life and status in families through self-reliance and employment is that the nature of women’s employment or the kinds of jobs and working conditions for women that are likely to empower women, increase their economic or financial independence, and enhance their status and decision-making within their families should be made available by the county and be supported by the family and society.
In Nepal, there has been a gradual rise in participation of women in the labor market from 80.1 percent in 2013/2014 to 82.89 percent in 2020 as per the Nepal Labor Force Survey which shows that women are enjoying their share in income resources but still, we have a long journey for the sustainable approach on the issue.
There has been a change in the outlook of working women and we can see them in each household, but it is still under the rug. So, this March we call for gender parity by highlighting the stories of women from ordinary households to show their contribution and struggles, said Sita Nepal, aged 48 from Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-2.
A well-educated and self–reliant woman raises an independent generation, she said while sharing her story of hardship and independence.
The success and independence for Sita Nepal like other women are not offered on the silver plate. At the very young age of 20, she entered Kathmandu with her husband and a newborn on her shoulder. Unlike her peers, who were beautified in glammed-up saris, she, on the other hand, was in a constant worry to stay afloat.
For her, the only way out was to make some income.
So, both the husband and wife decided to open a small tea shop with support from the relatives.
And now, through the struggles and relentless effort and the backing from her husband she has made her dream of extending the shop a reality. Not only is she the owner of a successful café, but she is the equal decision-maker in her home.
“I have achieved my milestone, now, my eldest son is an engineer, two of my daughters are in Bachelors and the youngest is in America and that has become possible by the support of my wife", said Tika Ram Nepal, Sita's husband, aged 52, while looking at his wife who was making tea at the counter on the same shop but with a different outlook.
Similarly, Radha Yadav, 36, a mother of two, is a permanent resident of Rautahat and is currently living at Jatigal, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-2 shares the same story of hardship and struggle.
She runs a small shop in a rented room which she opens around 11 am after sending her kids to school. Even though her shop is small, it’s a stepping stone for her big dreams and independence.
It is out of the norm to be working outside. But, I always wanted to taste the spirit of independence so I went out of the way and convinced my family to open a shop, said Yadav.
Even though there was an initial struggle, today I am reaping my benefits, she said, sharing that she is paying the rent and is saving some for the future. This has uplifted not only my motivation but also the place in my family, she said.
Dare I say, it’s not the situation but how you react to it determines your destiny, she said, urging all those women who are struggling to have faith and to work hard to come out strong.
Likewise, Urmila Shrestha, aged 35 from Nakhudol, Bhaisepati, Lalitpur, who owns a tailoring shop said that tailoring was always stereotypical and her skills were being tagged as ‘domestic.’ So, I decided to take formal training for it and opened a tailoring shop.
This helped me to not only groom my skills but also make an income out of my skill, she said.
While pointing out that many such women possess a hand skill that she learnt from her mother and grandmother, she said there is a need to recognize the hand skills of women as a skill and make it a medium of income generation as well.