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Government urged to bolster protection of migrant workers

Graphic: Returnee Nepali migrant workers Sumitra and Bimala sit and talk

The NHRC has proposed a 16-point plan for the government to curb malpractices in the foreign employment sector.

Stakeholders have called on the government to implement recommendations made by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to better protect the rights and safety of the country's migrant workers.

The NHRC has proposed a 16-point plan for the government to improve management and curb malpractices in the foreign employment sector.

Key recommendations include the immediate rescue of migrant workers languishing in foreign countries, a review of existing laws governing the foreign employment sector and greater monitoring of recruitment bodies and their agents.

According to NHRC member Sudip Pathak, the recommendations follow several rounds of discussion with the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, the Department of Foreign Employment, the Foreign Employment Promotion Board, recruitment agencies and other stakeholders.

The Prime Minister's Office has written to nine ministries concerned on implementing the NHRC's recommendations, the Kathmandu Post reported.

"The government is paying much attention to bringing back bodies of migrant workers," Pathak said.

"Similar attention should be given to those languishing in jail with no means to legal services, critically injured and workers in coma in various hospitals. These workers should be brought back too."

The NHRC recommended that the government ratify international human rights conventions and reach bilateral labour agreements with those countries receiving Nepali migrant workers.

It also stressed the need to empower Nepali missions in foreign countries to deal with problems that Nepali migrant workers.

Kul Prasad Karki, President of the Migrant Nepali Coordinator Committee, said full implementation of the recommendations would bring about substantial improvement in the foreign employment sector.

Date: 8 October 2018

Source: Kathmandu Post


Image credits

  1. Returnee Nepali migrant workers Sumitra and Bimala sit and talk - Steph Moor/UK Department Foreign International Development, Flickr; http://bit.ly/2PfsZBL