United Nations In Nepal UN News Insight MAY-JUN 2017 | Vol. 64 UN.INFO.NP | kathmandu.unic.org | UN.ORG.NP President of Nepal addresses ILO’s International Labour Conference’s World of Work Summit Speech by Her Excellency Ms Bidya Devi Bhandari, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. 106th Session of the International Labour Conference. Geneva, 15 June 2017. Photo :copyright: Crozet / Pouteau 1 | UN IN NEPAL | MAY-JUN 2016 | UN.INFO.NP United Nations In Nepal UN News Insight MAY-JUN 2017 | Vol. 63 UN.INFO.NP | kathmandu.unic.org | UN.ORG.NP President of Nepal addresses ILO’s From RC’s Desk International Labour Conference’s World of Work Summit The interconnectedness of environmental conservation, resilience and development One of the things that struck me when I moved to Nepal was its incredible and tremendous geographic and bio- diversity; yet, Nepal’s territory represents only 0.1% of land area on a global scale. In this tiny country, the climate ranges from a tropical forest to the forbidding cold in the Himalayan Mountain Range, and all the other eco systems in between. This unique ILC 2017 Official visits of the Presidents of Malta, Nepal and Mauritius. 106th Session geographic position and variations in of the International Labour Conference, Geneva, 15 June 2017. (From left) Her altitude and climate have made Nepal Excellency Ms Bidya Devi Bhandari President of Nepal. Her Excellency Ms Ameenah one of the storehouses of biological Gurib-Fakim, President of the Republic of Mauritius. Her Excellency Ms Marie-Louise diversity in the world. This rare mixture Coleiro Preca, President of the Republic of Malta. of ecological systems is as diverse as the Photo © Crozet / Pouteau people of Nepal. Nepal’s economic development and GENEVA, 15 JUNE 2017 — population well-being are closely bound to natural resources (agriculture land, he Right Honourable President, time that a Head of State of Nepal was wetlands, forests and protected areas). Ms Bidya Devi Bhandari invited to address the Summit. Around 70 per cent of Nepal’s accepted the invitation of the Addressing the World of Work Summit, population depends upon agriculture ILO Director General (DG) Mr the Rt. Hon’ble President said that and therefore, even the slightest TGuy Ryder and addressed the World of societies cannot prosper under changes in environmental conditions can Work Summit: A better future for women conditions of gender discrimination and have a devastating impact on their lives at work, which is an integral part of the inequality. She further elucidated, “It’s a and livelihoods of the people. This ILO’s 106th Session of the International fact that without political, economic, underscores the need for special efforts Labour Conference (ILC) on 15 June 2017 social and cultural empowerment of to promote environment-friendly, risk- in Geneva, Switzerland. This is the first women, we cannot imagine the sensitive and disaster-resilient 2 | UN IN NEPAL | MAY-JUN 2017 | UN.INFO.NP establishment of an equal, just and peaceful brings together governments', workers' and development. society.” employer's delegates of the ILO member States. As part of the ILO’s Governing body, Conservation work and efforts in Nepal During the Summit, the Rt. Hon’ble Nepal will be a member of the executive are commendable. The country has President discussed the situation of women body that takes decisions on ILO policy, the committed to several acts and in the labour market. The Rt. Hon’ble agenda of the ILC, adopts the draft regulations related to its forests, President was joined by the Presidents of Programme and Budget of the Organization protected areas, watersheds, the Malta and Mauritius. The three women for submission to the Conference, and environment, wildlife and live-stock, and Presidents, rejoined the arguments of the elects the Director-General. these efforts have yielded promising head of the ILO and called on the global rewards. Nepal is now one of the top 20 community to take urgent action on gender This year’s ILC discussed themes including countries in the world for the equality. labour migration, fundamental principles percentage of its surface area that is and rights at work, and application of The World of Work Summit discussed a protected. The forest cover has been conventions and recommendations. In an better future for women at work. With increasing at an annual rate of 0.27 per interview with the Rising Nepal, the gender gaps remaining one of the most cent over the past 20-years, after being Director for ILO Nepal, Richard Howard, pressing challenges facing labour markets, severely impacted by deforestation and shared, “The conference was very relevant the Summit was dedicated to discussing soil erosion. This has had a ripple effect to Nepal, especially to understand how how to shape a better future for women at on wild life such as leopards and deer, global warming is affecting livelihoods and work. The ILO includes Women at Work as who are returning to their natural the environmental impact on issues like one of its centenary initiatives, providing an habitat. There has also been a decrease migration, trafficking and child labour. important opportunity to examine and in Nepal’s emission of greenhouse gases Environmental changes force people into reflect upon the obstacles to decent work and carbon dioxide. In addition, the dangerous situations. In terms of for women, and what is needed to community-based approach to environmental production/ green overcome such obstacles. This reflection is management of forests and agro- production too, here are more essential to achieve the United Nations biological resources have positively opportunities that can be tapped into.” The Agenda for Sustainable Development, with contributed to poverty alleviation. overarching theme of this year’s conference decent work and gender equality at its core. was the environment. The annual The recognition that sound A recently released report entitled World Conference looked into how every aspect of environmental management goes hand- Employment and Social Outlook: Trends for development, whether it be economic or in-hand with sustainable economic Women 2017, finds that reducing gender growth is reflected in the Sustainable social, impacted the environment. gaps would significantly benefit women, Development Goals, which notes that society and the economy. Furthermore, The issue of labour migration was also a building the resilience of communities closing the gender gaps by 25 per cent by recurrent theme, with fair recruitment as a and nations is fundamental to achieving 2025 could add US$ 5.8 trillion to the global core focus. The ILO has been continuing its the goals and succeeding in attaining economy and boost tax revenue. efforts to ensure that migration is free, fair development that will not harm the and safe. An additional need that was The Summit was part of the ILO’s Women at living condition of generations to come. discussed was the effective implementation Work Initiative, one of the Organization’s of labour standards. Whilst we celebrate these achievements, seven centenary initiatives, intended to we cannot forget that climate change is shape a future that works for all. Both The Conference started from 5 to 16 June happening and Nepal continues to face decent work and gender equality are at the 2017, in Geneva, Switzerland and closed challenges with degradation, alteration heart of the 2030 Sustainable Development following two weeks of deliberations by of natural habitats, threat to wildlife, Agenda and are closely linked. Decent work government, employer and worker dramatic air pollution, amongst other for women brings decent work for all. delegates from the ILO’s 187 member states issues. We therefore must remain on key world of work issues, including the This year, ILO members elected Nepal as a vigilant in our efforts to protect this promotion of peace and stability in Deputy member of its Governing Body beautiful landscape that is home to the countries emerging from conflict, government group for the period 2017- highest mountain in the world. This strengthening labour migration governance 2020. In a 50-year development partnership year’s World Environment Day theme and greening the economy. between Nepal and the ILO, this is the first reminds us that it is important for time that the government has been elected A record 6,000 accredited delegates from people to connect with nature, to in the Governing Body. 187 ILO member States attended the appreciate its beauty and its importance. Conference. We all call this planet our home; and as The Governing Body is the Executive Body we only have one home, we need to do of the ILO. The elections took place during ***** everything we can to protect it. the annual International Labour Conference (ILC), on 12 June 2017, in Switzerland and 3 | UN IN NEPAL | MAY-JUN 2016 | UN.INFO.NP Nepal: Standing With Refugees By Kevin J. Allen, Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Nepal y the time you finish reading this General Assembly on 19 September 2016. Zealand, Denmark, sentence, someone on the During the Summit, 193 States, including Norway, the United planet will be forced to flee his Nepal, adopted the historic New York Kingdom and the or her home due to persecution, Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, Netherlands. Bhuman rights violations or war. In 2016, an which re-affirmed the commitment of The large-scale resettlement programme average of 20 persons were forcibly States to international protection principles, was designed to share international displaced every minute. And as I write this and their solidarity with those who are responsibilities with Nepal and facilitate editorial, over 65.6 million people are forced to flee. better lives for those refugees who were forcibly displaced globally — the highest Notably, the 2016 New York Declaration relocated.