June 13th, 2015
Seems to me, many of you have visited my country! I assume, there are Himalayas & the hills; UNESCO preserved old- heritage and touristic villages in your sweet memory! Unfortunately, I am here to tell you, many of our heritages have leveled into ground; touristic village is wiped out from the existence. This year, the Mt Everest forced to deny welcoming thousands of her summiteers and is crying on death of many climbers from the avalanche!
Madam President,
Fellow Delegates,
Observers,
Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen!
Four years back today on 9th of June, I had a privilege to address 100th Session of International Labour Conference. I was congratulating ILO, with high hopes, dreams and to some extent, proud message of good initiatives that had just begun in our country for the betterment of Nepali world of work.
Today, exactly four years after I am here, to express this august Assembly with heavy heart, an inconsolable grief and immeasurable anguish of Nepali people, who lost all of sudden nearly 9,000 their dear ones by a killer quake which hit my country terribly; first on April 25 and then after again and again many times! Injuring nearly 22 thousands people, the devastated quake damaged the lives and dreams; cities and villages of entire Nepal. The deep trauma within young and adults, children and aged persons is unimaginably serious. These days most of Nepali feels the ground below them is dancing and moving! A small cracking sound is enough to make them afraid, their nightmare is unashamedly loaded with mass-funeral pyres, cracked and perished hills and flattened houses!
Seems to me, many of you have visited my country! I assume, there are Himalayas & the hills; UNESCO preserved old- heritage and touristic villages in your sweet memory! Unfortunately, I am here to tell you, many of our heritages have leveled into ground; touristic village is wiped out from the existence. This year, the Mt Everest forced to deny welcoming thousands of her summiteers and is crying on death of many climbers from the avalanche!
Standing before you madam president, I am here to share our pains and to convey our gratitude to the generous solidarity of international community on behalf of representative of entire Nepali working class- the (JTUCC) and my own National Centre, the (GEFONT)!
The aftermath of the devastating earthquake has caused several adverse effects in my country:
Relating myself with the report of the Chairperson of the Governing Body and of the Director General, I recall opening remarks of Director General, where he indicated the latest World Employment and Social Outlook Report. The report says- global unemployment reached 201 million in 2014, over 30 million higher than before the start of the global crisis in 2008.
We, in our country hardly provided jobs to 100,000 out of 400,000 job seekers every year entering into the world of work, remaining were silently pushed to the market in Malaysia, Korea and GCC countries. This killer quake has created further serious question against existing available job in my country.
Ensuring wages, working time, maternity protection and occupational safety and health is at the heart of the ILO’s mandate; and I believe ILO is fully aware on such element of labour protection, which does not currently cover many types of employees.
The Director General has mentioned- “The issues of jobs, equity, sustainability, human security, labour mobility, social dialogue, which need to be tackled in a future of work initiative, are almost by definition the key policy issues of our time!”
There is nothing to disagree!
As a worker we feel, without right to strike, we all are slave! However, the unnecessarily prolonged debate in ILO GB on it, has frustrated us very much! Whatever argument there may be, how can we compromise with such a fundamental rights?
I am keen to learn how the expected high-level commission to the ILO’s Centenary Conference in 2019 would prepare its report on the Future of work initiatives- “work and society; the organisation of work and production; decent jobs for all; and the governance of work”.
Like a phoenix bird, emerged from the ashes, we Nepalis have high optimism- “We will Rise no doubt!” To this, we are discussing on 5-R strategy; namely Rescue- Relief- Rehabilitation- Resettlement- and Reconstruction! There is saying in Nepali- सकिएको हैन- भत्किएको मात्रै हो (it is not destroyed- just damaged!)
Thus, we trade unions have fixed a theme- Reconstruction: By creating decent jobs!
Let me wish everyone a grand success of the 104th session of international labour conference!
Thank you!
Bishnu P. Rimal
Workers’ delegate- Nepal
UN Building, Geneva
Switzerland
Date: June 9, 2015