With the aim of building skilled manpower in trade unions to make the labor movement effective and strong, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Asia Pacific organized a Training of Trainers (ToT) on the Power Resource Approach (PRA) for the Future of Work in Mongolia from August 26, 2025.

The training, which will run until August 30, 2025, featured on the first day a session titled “Problems to Goal”. In the session, Smriti Lama, Secretary of the Foreign Department of the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), shared her experiences on approaches to working style and strategies, and presented practical knowledge and skills on the use of the Power Resource Approach (PRA).

The training is being facilitated by Dina Feller, author of the Power Resource Approach Toolkit and a trade union trainer, along with Chao Cabatingan, Program Manager of FES Philippines. Trade union leaders from Nepal, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Mongolia, and the Philippines are participating.

The International Trade Union Confederation Nepal Affiliated Council (ITUC-NAC) and DTDA Denmark jointly organized a two-day Strategic Planning Workshop in Godawari, Lalitpur.

The workshop, chaired by ITUC-NAC President Yogendra Kuwar, started on August 24, 2025, and was attended by the Presidents, Vice Presidents, and General Secretaries of the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF).

With the participation of DTDA Head Lotte Yligard and Program Officer John Paul, the workshop reviewed past activities and prepared program plans for 2026.

The Women’s Committee of the Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre (JTUCC) organized a seminar on the impact of climate change, just transition, and gender issues in Kathmandu on August 24, 2025.

As the chief guest, JTUCC President Jagat Simkhada highlighted that JTUCC has been continuously lobbying on the impact of climate change in policymaking, particularly concerning women workers.

GEFONT Vice President and JTUCC Women’s Committee Coordinator Sita Lama shed light on the relevance of the program while also extending best wishes on the occasion of Teej 2025.

Senior journalist and resource person Saru Dhakal provided training on the impact of climate change, just transition, and gender issues.

The Home Workers’ Trade Union Nepal (HUN), affiliated with the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), organized a program on August 22, 2025, on the occasion of Hartalika Teej, to congratulate and extend best wishes to the newly appointed Bagmati Province Minister Bindu Shrestha.

At the program, GEFONT President Binod Shrestha noted that the Teej festival has always been celebrated by GEFONT with a focus on class-based struggle, and extended greetings for the occasion.

President Shrestha emphasized that continuity, commitment, and self-confidence within the organization are key to achieving success, highlighting that persistent efforts have allowed the Nepalese trade union movement to gradually achieve milestones.

HUN’s founding president and GEFONT Parliamentary and Local Coordination Council member Bindu Shrestha, now the Bagmati Province Minister for Industry, Commerce, Land, and Administration, received congratulations and honors from HUN’s central committee. Minister Shrestha remarked that this achievement is not individual but a small milestone of Nepal’s trade union movement.

Minister Shrestha also stated that the trade union movement plays a crucial role in making the industry and commerce sector labor-friendly, and emphasized the need for GEFONT’s support in this regard.

The program was chaired by Central President Chandra Sagar Lama and facilitated by General Secretary Gyanu Maya KC.

For more photos of the program, click the link below:

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A three-day training on climate change and just transition, organized by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Asia-Pacific, has been concluded.

The training, which began on August 21, 2025, was inaugurated under the chairpersonship of ITUC Nepal-affiliated Committee Coordinator and NTUC President Yogendra Kuwar. The program was attended by guests, including General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) President Binod Shrestha.

In the training, GEFONT Vice President Bidur Karki facilitated a session on environmental change campaigns and future action plans, while General Secretary Laxman Sharma facilitated a session on workers’ rights in just transition.

Similarly, sessions on green transition—its principles, issues, and challenges—as well as the Government of Nepal’s policies on climate change and just transition, were facilitated by Satoshi Tamai, Lotte Yligard, John Powell, and Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment Naresh Sharma.

An Asia-Pacific level program on challenges in the world of work and their solutions, organized by 3F Denmark, began in Kathmandu on August 20, 2025.

Speaking at the event, General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) Patron Bishnu Rimal stated that exploitation of workers continues in the labour world, but it has changed from the past. He explained that the use of the internet and AI technology is now enabling the exploitation of workers across the globe.

Patron Rimal emphasized that trade unions must change their policies, laws, and tools to cope with this new situation, adding that the effectiveness of trade unions can contribute to transforming not only the working class but society as a whole.

GEFONT President Binod Shrestha welcomed the participants and highlighted the current state of the labour movement and the responsibilities of the trade union movement.

Speakers at the program included BWI Asia-Pacific Coordinator Apolino Tolentino (Dong), IndustriALL representative Asutosh, and senior South Asian trade unionist Sultan, among others. The session was facilitated by 3F Asia Coordinator Buddhi Acharya.

On the first day of the three-day program, GEFONT General Secretary Laxman Sharma presented a working paper on GEFONT’s new initiatives for the protection of workers’ rights and interests in the changing world of work.

For more photos of the program, click the link below:

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