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Summary

As outlined in Nepal's 15th Five Year Periodic Plan by the National Planning Commission, women's labor force participation remains significantly lower than that of men, standing at 26.3%. This disparity is particularly evident in technical fields, such as masonry, where only 10% of the 54,000 trained masons in Nepal are women, and employment opportunities are limited. USAID's Tayar Nepal initiative aims to challenge gender stereotypes by providing on-the-job training for women in masonry, specifically in seismic retrofitting. Basanta B.K. from Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan City, ward no. 13, embraced this opportunity, breaking societal norms associated with technical work. Despite initial doubts, Basanta successfully completed the training, gaining advanced masonry skills. Empowered by the gender-inclusive training, Basanta envisions a future as a successful construction worker, aiming to inspire other women to pursue similar career paths and contribute to reducing gender disparities in technical professions.