Community Cares Project

The Community Cares Project, implemented by EWPN in partnership with UN Women, is a transformative initiative designed to recognize, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care work while advancing women’s economic empowerment in Nepal. Across the country, women shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid household and caregiving responsibilities—work that sustains families and communities but often goes unrecognized and unrewarded. This unequal burden limits women’s access to income-generating opportunities, decent employment, and participation in public life.

Grounded in evidence and community engagement, the project begins by assessing the extent of women’s involvement in unpaid care work, estimating potential income loss, and identifying policy and implementation gaps that hinder women’s economic, labor, and social rights. These findings serve as the foundation for working closely with local governments and key stakeholders to strengthen awareness, institutional capacity, and commitment toward promoting equal economic opportunities for women.

A central pillar of the project is advocacy for increased investment in care infrastructure. By piloting small-scale care centers in selected local government units (LGUs), the initiative demonstrates practical models that support families while freeing women’s time to pursue education, employment, and entrepreneurship. The project also promotes improved access to financial services for unpaid care workers, addressing structural barriers that limit their economic advancement.

Recognizing that sustainable change requires shifts in social norms, the Community Cares Project actively engages men and boys through reflective community dialogues and fatherhood training programs. These efforts promote positive masculinity and encourage the sharing of household care responsibilities. As attitudes evolve and care duties are more equitably distributed, women gain greater space to participate meaningfully in the labor market and community decision-making processes.

The project is being implemented across 10 LGUs in Madhesh, Sudurpashchim, and Karnali provinces, covering districts including Parsa, Dhanusha, Saptari, Bajura, Kanchanpur, Doti, Surkhet, Dailekh, and Kalikot. Through collaboration with local governments, communities, and development partners, the initiative aims to place unpaid care work at the center of development discourse and action.

By strengthening care systems, fostering gender-transformative change, and expanding women’s access to economic opportunities, the Community Cares Project contributes to building more inclusive, equitable, and resilient communities in Nepal.