KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 18

HomeNet South Asia, a regional network of home-based workers' organisation, is hosting a three-day congress in Kathmandu.

On the first day of the congress, Enforcer of HomeNet South Asia Chandani Joshi said at a press conference that millions of home-based workers, particularly women were contributing to the economies of their countries in South Asia, yet their contributions were not recognised by the government.

Joshi said that there was still confusion about home-based workers as many construed it as domestic workers. "Home-based workers are those work force that work from home to produce goods. They are different from domestic workers who are salaried work force. Home-based workers are marginalised group of people who are engaged in enterprises and who support their family by producing goods," Joshi said. Joshi said media outlets had the responsibility of disseminating news about the work and contributions of home-based workers and to exert pressure on policy makers to make home-based workers-friendly policies.

A version of this article appears in the print on October 19 2022 of The Himalayan Times.