Kathmandu. Although most of the insurance companies in Nepal claim to have adopted an equal opportunity policy on paper, they have not been able to put in place a practical mechanism for the safety and fair opportunity of women in the workplace.
The Nepal Insurance Authority TAG_OPEN_em_8’s study report “Insurance through a Gender Lens: A Fema Meter Assessment in Nepal” (} has exposed the internal policy weaknesses of the companies.
Of the 35 insurance companies included in the study, 31 said they had equal opportunity employment policies. However, only 21 companies incorporated gender diversity into their employee recruitment strategies. Moreover, the number of companies that reviewed whether there is a gender balance in promotion and capacity development opportunities is only three.
Similarly, only 15 companies have policies against sexual harassment in the workplace and only 15 companies have policies against discrimination. Only 5 out of 14 companies in the life insurance sector have anti-sexual harassment policies, while the other 4 companies are making them. None of the micro life insurance companies have included gender diversity in the recruitment process.
This shows that there is a huge gap between policy commitment and implementation in insurance companies. The Insurance Authority has asked all companies to immediately implement the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy and the regulatory body should monitor accordingly.
