Making Nepal's Data OpenandAccessible For All

For the average worker in Nepal, the last seventeen years have been a volatile balancing act between rising earnings and a relentless cost of living. While nominal wages have surged by over 320% since 2009, the "Real Wage Gap"—the difference between wage growth and inflation—reveals a story of lumpy progress and sudden erasures of purchasing power.

Child labour in Nepal remains a widespread and structured issue, despite strong laws and national commitments. It disproportionately affects younger children, girls, rural households, and those living in less developed provinces, with agriculture accounting for the vast majority of child labour. Children who are out of school are significantly more likely to work, especially adolescents, reinforcing cycles of vulnerability. Overall, the data shows that child labour is driven by poverty, gender norms, regional inequality, and limited access to education, requiring targeted and evidence-based interventions.

Nepal has experienced notable changes in living standards since the mid-1990s, including reductions in poverty, increases in income and consumption, and improved access to education and basic services. Literacy has risen for both men and women, with a gradual narrowing of gender gaps. Remittances have become an important component of household income for many families. At the same time, disparities across income groups and regions remain evident, indicating uneven distribution of development gains.