Domestic workers need protection beyond the household walls

Domestic workers in Nepal face significant risks of sexual harassment and abuse while working in private households, where they lack witnesses, oversight, and effective legal protection. These workers, the majority of whom are women and girls, often operate under informal verbal agreements, leaving them without access to social security or basic labor rights.

Historical inequalities continue to shape these labor conditions, with many workers facing compounded vulnerabilities due to poverty, caste, and migration status. Fear of losing income, accommodation, and employment prevents many survivors from reporting abuse.

While figures suggest that 4.3 per cent of female domestic workers and 14 per cent of child domestic workers have experienced harassment, these numbers are likely incomplete. The invisibility of the private workplace and the workers' economic dependence on employers create severe barriers to accountability and justice.