View/save PDF version of this document - La Strada International

police. One in ten said protesting was useless because nobody
would listen to them. 100 At the same time, the entertainment
workers are angry: almost half have called for stricter regulations,
and more than one quarter said that exploiters should be given
severe punishment, including death or life sentences. 101
LABOUR ISSUES
Much of the present discourse about Nepal’s entertainment
industry centres around labour issues. For the government,
employers and international organisations, fixing the ‘labour
problem’ through regulation appears to be the ‘cure-all’ that
will legitimate the presence of a sex industry in Nepal. Often
hinted, but sometimes directly stated, the attitude of government
and business to the concerns of entertainment workers has
been: ‘If they’re earning good money, why should they complain’
However, when one considers the violations of fundamental
rights as well as psychosocial issues surrounding the industry,
the benefits to entertainment workers are less than satisfactory.
Half of the entertainment workers are new to the industry,
and the majority have no knowledge of their basic labour rights,
such as a contract or appointment letter, 8-hour work shifts,
provision of overtime, provision of sick leave and public holidays,
maternity facilities and a safe working environment. 102
Why do they work in the entertainment industry and
not elsewhere
Almost all entertainment workers say that they work in the
entertainment industry because there is no better work
available. Almost all say they would change their jobs if they
had an opportunity. The majority have no husband or other
person to contribute to their income, and nearly one half have
one or more children to support. Many also send money home
to their families. Their options are poorly-paid, and often
abusive, labour situations such as domestic service or workshop
labour. Notably, many are aware that their lack of education
precludes them from good employment. Uneducated, unskilled
and in need, many girls and women find that the entertainment
sector provides the only realistic option. However, as the
psychological and social impacts of the industry indicate,
because the entertainment sector is the only option, it is not
necessarily the best option.
While income in the entertainment sector is greater than in
other sectors, in a country where almost all salaries are low,
the income is insufficient for their needs. Contrary to the
myth of entertainment workers being ‘independent women’,
they spend approximately three quarters of their income
totally or partially on their family and less than one third on
themselves. While the majority are dissatisfied with their
salary, they are realistic about their employment potential,
given their age, sex and poor education. 103 The majority say
that their salary is adequate according to their qualifications,
and express regret that they were not better educated so
that they could work elsewhere. 104 2010 Terre des hommes www.tdh.ch 53