Nepal reaffirms its commitment to social justice: President Paudel

KATHMANDU: President Ram Chandra Paudel has said that Nepal’s Constitution has fully embraced the provisions of social justice such as equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal treatment, which is at the core of the International Labor Organisation.

“With participation in the Global Coalition for Social Justice, we reaffirm our commitment to social justice, faith in multilateralism, and to renew the social contract,” he said in his keynote address at the High-Level event of the 112th International Labor Conference and the Inaugural Session of the Global Coalition for Social Justice in Geneva, Switzerland earlier today.

“Our collective effort to achieve sustainable peace through social justice is as relevant today as it was a hundred years ago. When discussing sustainable peace, we must remember that it cannot be achieved without justice and economic-gains to the poor and downtrodden.”

Stating that in course of its political journey from monarchy to a federal democratic republic, Nepal has placed social justice at the center of change in labor, employment, and social security sectors, he said that Nepal’s constitution has enshrined labor rights, the right to employment, the right to form trade unions, and the right to participate in collective bargaining as fundamental rights. “To implement these constitutional provisions, we have made legal and institutional arrangements such as the Labor Act, Trade Union Act, Employment Rights Act, Contribution-based Social Security Act, and National Employment Policy.”

The Global Coalition for Social Justice announced today is our noble initiative and shared commitment to embrace social justice for all and in all areas, as envisioned by the ILO. Ensuring equality and justice for workers is our collective resolve.

Noting that people in all countries and societies of the world must receive justice, and they must be freed from hunger and fear, he said since it is the world of work that has made the world prosperous, ensuring a fair share of the fruits of labor to reach the hands of workers is our shared responsibility; and this is social justice.

President Paudel also expressed belief that the Global Coalition for Social Justice would continuously inspire everyone to unite through social dialogue to maintain social harmony and tolerance and achieve economic development and prosperity.

On a different note, the President said as a resident of a mountainous country, I need to speak about climate change and its impacts to the lives of the Nepali people while discussing social justice at present and climate justice for the generations to come.

Climate change has severely affected supply of drinking water, crop patterns, biodiversity, and public health, pushing millions into marginal poverty and adding to stark inequality. Climate induced disasters have compounded problems by severely affecting livelihoods and causing displacement of families and communities from their homelands.

“Therefore, I believe that adequate funding, compensation, and necessary technology should be provided to countries in order to ensure climate justice,” the President said, “The global community, especially major emitters, should not fail to shoulder this responsibility. While talking about social justice, we must not forget to ensure climate justice globally.”

Noting that a significant amount of money that should be spent on development is being invested in deadly weapons for useless war, the President said that the international community should reverse this path and mobilize resources for the prosperity of humanity. “Sustainable peace can be achieved through shared prosperity and a sense of global brotherhood, not through weapons.”

Nepal is actively engaged in the 8.7 Alliance, standing against child labour, forced labour, and modern slavery and also actively involved as a pathfinder country for employment and social security for a just transition. “Currently, we are implementing the Decent Work Program (2023–2027) in Nepal, which includes employment, rights, and social dialogue.”

Nepal is committed to implementing the ‘Decent Work Agenda’ in embracing the digital economy, care economy, and gig economy, he said while pointing out the need to make assessments of the institutional, legal, and operational aspects of the ILO and reform so as to address the challenges of the changing world of work.

Referring to the increasing trend of young people from developing countries seeking employment in labor destination countries, President Paudel appealed to all countries of the world to treat migrant workers with respect and treat them equally and abide by the principle of decent work.