A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1996

The carpet industry occupies strategic place in the Nepalese economy. It is the leading export sector and the most important source of employment in the domain of manufacturing industry. Highly labor intensive nature of the industry has allowed it to employ large number of people, primarily from the rural areas. This study is organized to explore three major issues: gender-based division of labor, skill mobility, and rural-urban linkage through labor movement, as observed in the context of carpet industry. The field research conducted in Kathmandu district between February-April of 1996, included field observations, formal questionnaire survey on carpet weavers, interview with factory owner/manager, and personal communication and secondary information collection from the relevant organizations. Gender-biassedness of the industry against women manifested in the exclusive dominance of men at higher position of the job hierarchy such as loom master, graph master in contrast to women's confinement to the lower status jobs like weaving is the outcome of operation of many sub-cultures---mainly the ones based on educational level and other common bonds and taboos which jointly form the societal culture. Nevertheless, among the carpet weavers, female weavers save more than their male counterparts, despite their lower earnmgs. Non-institutionalization of the skill learning process in carpet weaving has given birth to the circumstances favorable for the middlemen to exploit the laborers. In the name of learning weaving workers have to endure exploitation for which they do not have any alternatives. Women are most adversely affected by the prevailing working condition and terms. Their complacent nature and ignorance make it easy for the middlemen to take advantage of them. Reexamination of the age-long relationship between rural and urban economy proves that rural-urban linkage, through labor movement in the carpet industry marginally benefits rural areas in terms of limited remittances. On the other hand, urban environment also gets adversely affected through effluents and wastes from the carpet factories. Empowerment of women through education is the measure to increase their self-esteem and enable them to utilize the opportunities equally as men so that centuries-old discrimination between men and women would be reduced. Similarly, institutionalization of carpet weaving training and relocation of the carpet industry are two key measures that will go a long way to combat existing exploitation and to alter the age-old nature of unequal rural-urban relations.