June 1 -A British woman teaching at The British School (BS), school for children of British citizens, in Kathmandu lost her job after informing the school management of being pregnant.

Rolands Heidi, 35, was sacked from her job two day after she informed the school--operating under the guardianship of British Ambassador to Nepal--about her pregnancy on May 10. Heidi was 10 weeks pregnant when she informed the school.

Following the incident, Heidi had filed a case in Labour Court (LC) of Nepal demanding reinstatement of her job.

“It has been clarified that the school management fired Heidi for being pregnant,” said the bench of LC Justice Agni Prasad Thapaliya.

After conducting a hearing on the case, the LC issued an interim order staying the BC’s decision to fire Heidi.

In the interim order, the LC has said that the BS’s decision is against International Labour Organisation Convention-183 and 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Court further said not to appoint any other teacher replacing her except for temporary hiring during her maternity leave.

Law practitioner and trade unions in reaction to Heidi’s case said that it is against European Charter.

GEFONT condemned the decision of the School and termed the action as an anti-labour and inhuman behaviour.

In capacity of advocate GEFONT Secretary of DFA Ramesh Badal represented Heidi. The case was fielded before the court on 23 May.

Heidi had joined the British School at Kathmandu on 1st August 2009 in study visa and was on three-year contract with the school.