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Step Up – Improving labour market access for unemployed

Nepal faces enormous employment challenges that were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Difficulties to find gainful employment for the unemployed include lack of information on jobs and business opportunities, appropriate skills and access to networks and support services such as career guidance or counselling. In addition, business support services that provide entrepreneurs with services to start, sustain and improve their businesses are weak or even missing. Therefore, the Step Up project aimed to address these deficiencies in the current employment ecosystem and contribute to the Government of Nepal’s efforts to increase job creation and the employability of its labour force.
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Biratnagar, Nepal
26.4524746
87.27178099999999
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Budhiganga, Nepal
26.565957926038692
87.305154217132
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Itahari
26.6646381
87.27178099999999
Nepal
Project duration
2021 - 2024

The Project

The Step Up project improved existing support services in the employment ecosystem and facilitated entrepreneurship and self-employment in thriving economic clusters.

To this end, it established a digital platform called «Shramsansar» which connects job seekers with employers and training and education providers. In 2024, the platform was expanded from originally three to 137 municipalities and is now to be replicated nationwide.

The project also provided jobseekers’ access to entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities the project strengthened business platforms and networks such as the Chambers of Commerce and industry associations. With their networks and industry-based knowledge, they can support jobseekers to seize self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities within thriving economic sectors.

Lastly, the project strengthened business development support services and business incubators that help entrepreneurs to start, improve and sustain their businesses.

Results 2021 - 2024

  • 20 600 jobseekers (43% women) gained access to improved services and solutions for integration into the labor market.
  • 137 public employment centres use the labor market information system.
  • 1 012 unemployed young adults (50% women) completed vocational training courses.
  • 548 aspiring and existing entrepreneurs (76% women) completed an entrepreneurship training.
  • 11 039 jobseekers and entrepreneurs (36% women) accessed knowledge and networking opportunities provided by industry associations.
  • 386 entrepreneurs (47% women) gained access to improved business development services.

Financing partner

The StepUp project is financed by the Happel Foundation, among other donors. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.

Project Highlight Videos

Overall achievements of Step up

As the Step Up project phases out, this video showcases the overall achievements of the project. Dive deeper into the achievements here:

Shramsansar Tutorial Video

Strengthening the Labour Market Information System is one of the core activities under the Step Up project. As part of this effort, Step Up introduced Shramsansar, a comprehensive Labour Market Information System (LMIS) platform. Shramsansar not only provides information on employment and entrepreneurial opportunities but also fosters greater engagement and information exchange among key system actors, including public and private labour market insertion service providers, training institutions, employers, and unemployed youth.  To learn more about the platform, watch this video:

Shramsansar set to expand nation-wide

The LMIS, Shramsansar, is now being scaled up nationwide. Watch the video to learn how this expansion will support the long-term goals of the national policy by empowering Nepali citizens with the right to information and integrating all labour market-related services into a single platform. Learn more about this progress here:

Downloads

STEP UP - Factsheet - Shramsansar- A labour market Information System
378 kB
STEP UP - Factsheet - Engaging Private Sector to Strengthen Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
445 kB

News

View all news from Step Up - Improving labour market access for unemployed
Nepal
Labour market insertion
15.04.2025
Sharing and Review of the Step Up Project
On 11 March 2025, Swisscontact hosted a ‘Sharing and Review Event’ to mark the closure of the Step Up Project (2021–2024). Hon. Sharat Singh Bhandari, Minister, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) attended the event as the Chief Guest, joining a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from local government, the private sector, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, and the International Labour Organization (ILO). This event provided an opportunity to reflect on the project’s achievements, share lessons learnt, and identify ways to sustain its impact with the public representatives on how policies can be more inclusive for young people to increase their employability and support their entrepreneurial vision.
Learn more
Nepal
Labour market insertion
12.03.2025
A Milestone for Nepal’s Labour Market: MoU Signed for National Expansion of Shramsansar
With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Swisscontact and the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security (MoLESS) for the nationwide expansion of Shramsansar, an integrated Labour Market Information System, Nepal is set to achieve a major milestone in the development of its labour market. The MoU was formalised on 10 March during the Fifth National Labour and Employment Conference 2025, marking a crucial step towards the digitalisation of Nepal’s public employment services.
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Nepal
Labour market insertion
29.12.2024
Creating Opportunities for Youth in Koshi Province through Employment Fair and Shramsansar
The Biratnagar-Itahari industrial corridor in Koshi Province, Eastern Nepal, has great potential for economic growth and youth employment. While province industries promise jobs and prosperity, a staggering 18.8 percent of young people aged 15-24 in Koshi Province are trapped in a cycle of unemployment. The province’s need for more awareness about existing job opportunities and their prerequisites among the youth has hindered it from fully realising this potential.

To address this gap, Swisscontact’s Step Up Project supported the organisation of Koshi Province’s first-ever employment fair in March 2024. Following its success, Biratnagar Metropolitan City hosted the second edition of the employment fair at Eco Fun Park from 16–17 December 2024.
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