KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has said that care work should not be seen merely as a profession but as an essential humanitarian service for families, communities, and nations alike.
Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Care Learning International Seminar in Kathmandu on Thursday, Minister Rana highlighted the broad scope of care work, which ranges from early childhood to old age. “Care should not be looked at only as a job or a career. It is, above all, a humanitarian service,” she said.
The minister noted that care work remains undervalued in households, communities, and even at the national level, with little recognition of its contribution to the economy. She emphasized that in Nepal, the sector’s contribution is nearly equal to that of agriculture. Yet, women disproportionately bear this unequal burden, restricting their participation in economic, political, and public life.
Minister Rana pointed out that Nepal has recognized the need for change, with the country’s 16th periodic development plan, for the first time, placing care work at the center of its development vision.
She argued that investments in care services should be viewed not as expenses but as high-yield investments. According to studies she cited, addressing existing gaps in health and education-related care could generate millions of new jobs in Nepal, with at least 60 percent of the opportunities benefiting women.
Despite its importance, the sector faces challenges such as limited infrastructure, a shortage of skilled caregivers, and low public awareness. Rana said these could be tackled by creating decent jobs, expanding social protection, and ensuring fair wages for care workers.
Reflecting on decades of efforts in safe motherhood and gender equality in Nepal’s Far West and other regions, Minister Rana noted that such initiatives have often gone unrecognized but have played a key role in reducing maternal and infant mortality. She added that care work has directly improved women’s and children’s health, thereby strengthening the nation’s overall health indicators.
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