Forgotten Contributors in the Brick Sector in Nepal

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Socioeconomic Studies
• Informal Sector Labor

Background:

• The brick-making industry in Nepal is a labor-intensive, informal sector.
• Workers, often transient and marginalized, face substandard working and living conditions.
• Children of brick workers are also affected by these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the working and living conditions of male and female brick workers and their children in Nepal.
• To identify key challenges, focusing on occupational health, safety, and childcare.
• To promote decent living and working conditions through action research.

Main Methods:

• A rapid needs assessment was conducted across five provinces in Nepal.
• Pilot interventions were developed and initiated based on stakeholder consultations.
• Action research methodology was employed to address identified issues.

Main Results:

• Key challenges include inadequate occupational health and safety measures.
• Lack of accessible childcare and educational facilities for workers' children is a significant issue.
• The study identified a need for incentivizing brick entrepreneurs to invest in worker welfare.

Conclusions:

• Improving working and living conditions requires incentivizing brick entrepreneurs.
• Investment in worker welfare can lead to a more productive workforce.
• Findings from pilot interventions can inform scalable, effective solutions for the sector.