Nepal appoints a national focal point for the promotion of the MNE Declaration

Nepal is the second country in Asia to appoint a national focal point for the promotion of the MNE Declaration and the application of its principles.

News | 02 March 2022
On 18 February 2022, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security officially appointed its Joint Secretary as a national focal point for the promotion and application of the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration) in Nepal. The focal point promotes inclusive, responsible, and sustainable workplace practices to give effect to the principles of the MNE Declaration.

Nepal is the second country in Asia after Pakistan to appoint a national focal point for the promotion of the MNE Declaration and application of its principles. This affirms Nepal’s continuous engagement in creating a decent workplace and responsible social policy. The appointment follows tripartite meetings involving representatives of the government and social partners with ILO technical assistance and building on the outcomes of the UNNATI - Inclusive Growth Programme in Nepal (2015 - 2018).

The UNNATI-Inclusive Growth Programme in Nepal under the partnership between the Government of Denmark and the ILO on Advocacy for Rights and Good Corporate Governance in Nepal, actively promoted the MNE Declaration to support sustainable and responsible business practices in four agricultural value chains in Nepal based on the observance of its principles. The overall objective was to strengthen sustainable and inclusive growth and good social practices by all actors to reduce poverty and raise living standards in the country.

The MNE Declaration is the only ILO instrument that provides direct guidance to national and multinational enterprises on social policy and inclusive, responsible and sustainable workplace practices. It is the only global instrument in this area and the only one that was elaborated and adopted by governments, employers and workers from around the world. To encourage the uptake of its principles by all parties, the ILO Governing Body has adopted a set of operational tools, including the appointment of national focal points on a tripartite basis. The ILO is assisting governments, employers and workers from around the world to build their capacity and to facilitate dialogue on applying the guidance provided in the MNE Declaration in the country context.

The ILO will continue to provide support to the national focal point for the promotion of the MNE Declaration in Nepal to further stimulate the uptake of its principles in policies and practices. The MNE Declaration in Nepali will be an important starting point to further engage with ILO constituents and actors in Nepal on decent work priorities and the SDGs.