Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC), with support from ILO, organized three days training on "Legal Literacy and Trade Union Education" from 24-26 September 2024 in Kathmandu. The training was participated by two women leaders from three municipalities each of selected Municipalities from Karnali and Sudur Pashchim Provinces, Gender Focal Points of one each from Karnali and Sudur Pashchim Province committees and NTUC Ccentral committee, two project officers, and five union leaders and staff from Kathmandu. NTUC President Mr. Yogendra Kumar Kunwar and ILO National Project Coordinator Mr. Saurabh Shah spoke during the opening ceremony of the program. NTUC President said that this kind of activities support to formalize the informal economy. ILO NPC Saurabh Shah said that the program has the objectives of empowering workers in the informal economy, particularly women, better exercise their rights to access gender sensitive programmes, schemes, and policies by labour administration bodies.

The following sessions were delivered during the program:

• Introduction to Empowered Women Prosperous Nepal (EWPN) and Enabling Sectoral Pathways (ESP) to Formalization Project including introduction to NTUC collaboration with EWPN and ESP
• Introduction to the Nepalese Trade Union Movement and NTUC
• Union Management and Role of leadership
• Key labour rights – focusing on rights afforded to women workers
• Contribution based social security system - current system in Nepal: Informal and self-employed scheme details.
• Conceptual understanding of paid and unpaid care work, Care Economy and Decent Work, Understanding 5R Framework to Decent Care Work
• Group Activities

The three-day training program, focused on Empowered Women Prosperous Nepal (EWPN) basically aimed to equip participants with a comprehensive understanding of key issues affecting women workers in Nepal. The training introduced the historical context and current landscape of the Nepalese trade union movement, emphasizing the crucial role of NTUC in advocating for labor rights and social justice. Participants explored effective union management strategies and leadership roles, with a specific focus on promoting key labor rights that particularly benefit women workers. The training also delved into the contribution-based social security system in Nepal, highlighting the nuances of the informal and self-employed schemes. A significant portion of the program also addressed the conceptual frameworks of paid and unpaid care work, the Care Economy, and the principles of Decent Work, incorporating the 5R Framework to Decent Care Work. From the training, participants were empowered with the knowledge and skills to advocate for women's rights, improve working conditions, and foster an inclusive labor environment that supports both paid and unpaid caregivers in their communities.