It has been quite often seen that women workers are paid less than their male counterparts, but a road construction project in Bajura, where 60 per cent of workers are females, treats them well. They are being paid what their male counterparts get.

The road construction project was started under the Decentralised Rural Infrastructure and Livelihood Project, funded by Asian Development Bank. Sixty per cent female workers and 40 per cent men have been working for the construction of a 13-km roadway, from Betalmandu to Kuldebamandu Delta.

According to Dirgharaj Upadhyay, DRILIP field coordinator, “The women workers produce equal work as their male counterparts.” Hence they are being paid equally. Upadhyay also said that more women are engaged in the construction of the Martadi-Dhamlekh road section as their pay is also equal to the male workers, which doesn’t happen at other construction sites. Tuli Odd of Barhabisa-7, said, “Women can’t go to India for employment like males, but after this programme was launched in the village, we have been earning as much as the males, staying at our own village.”

The programme has been a good source of income for us, and on the other hand, the long roadway will also connect our village with other villages, she said. Meanwhile, Saru Luhar of Gudukhati called her husband back from India. “If we can earn here in the village itself, living with the family, then why go abroad?”

Published on: 11 August 2013 | The Himalayan Times