Half of the population un-and-underemployed

The number of un-and-underemployed populace has been increasing steadily as almost the half of the people are un-and-underemployed.

"The number of un-and-underemployment has increased by four per cent to 46 per cent from 42 per cent in 2004, according to a report.

"Due to the fast growing population the average size of holdings has reduced in recent years and un-and-underemployment is an increasing problem," according to the Food Security Atlas of Nepal published by World Food Programme (WFP).

The non-farm economy has seen a steady rise with increased trade leading the way, it said adding that manufacturing and services, including tourism are also significant. However, demand for labour in these sectirs is insufficient to absorbe the excess.

As a result, the number of migrant Nepali workers leaving Nepal has grown tremendously in recent years. Remittanec sent by them is one of the greatest drivers of national economic growth.

According to the Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) eleventh month report, the Nepal has received Rs 211.17 billion in the first eleven months of the fisca lyear 2009-10.

"The economically active population aged from ten years and above consists of 48.9 per cent female and 67.6 per cent males," it said. "However, most women continue to be confined to unpaid family labour as around 72 per cent of the economic active females work in agriculture versus 48 per cent of men."

Only six per cent of them work in the non-agriculture sector compared with 21 per cent of men, the report said adding that wage disparity is another crucial issue with men earning up to twice as much as women for unskilled labour.

On one hand the women are being paid less and on the other, the number of female workers is more than 10 times less than the male workers in the trading sector.

The Distributive Trade Survey-2009 published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reveals that Out of 27,506 employed, only 2,213 are women and the rest 25,293 are men.

Similarly, unpaid family members are four times more than the number of paid workers in the wholesale and retail businesses in the country. "Out of 136,835 persons engaged in the trading business, only 27,506 are employed," said the survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).