Despite government’s repeated efforts of checking illegal migration, agents are active in sending Nepali women to Gulf countries – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait.

Nexuses of cross border agents in trafficking Nepali women as domestic works in Gulf counties has been on the rise, Arab Times reported quoting Nepali ambassador to Saudi Arabia Udaya Raj Pandey.

“The nexus bring Nepali women to New Delhi and Mumbai and send them to Gulf countries,” he said, blaming the channel for miserable condition of Nepali women in the Gulf countries.

“The women come to Saudi Arabia following whims and fancies of agents but suffer from various exploitation and abuses,” he added.

A study of illegal housemaids commenced by the Riyadhbased embassy showed the nexus is also cheating them of salary and benefits. According to Pandey, the agents are getting at least 25 per cent of salary directly from the employers. “We found an Indian agent bagged whole salary of a housemaid for seven months,” he said.

Officials at the Department of Foreign Employment admit outflow of women migrant workers from illegal channels via India but rejected active nexus in human trafficking in the name of foreign employment.

“At least we have not yet received any complaint about it,” said director at the department Kashiraj Dahal.

Due to the illegal nexus, just 8,891 Nepali women migrant workers have joined as domestic helps in Gulf countries in first five months of current fiscal year, whereas the documented number is higher.

About 60 to 70 Nepali women migrant workers are joining as domestic helps in Gulf countries through illegal channels.

About 256,662 Nepali migrant women workers are believed to be working in foreign countries and majority of them are in Gulf countries. “Porous border between Nepal and India is supporting the illegal migration,” according to the envoy.

Nepali outsourcing agencies are also aware of the trend but reject organisational involvement in trafficking.

“Agents may have been involved in individual basis but registered outsourcing agencies could not be involved,” said president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies Som Lal Bataju.

He suggested the government to start diplomatic process to stop illegal migration from India. Nepal alone cannot stop the trend without the help from India, he said, adding that the government should adopt practical criterion scraping the earlier criterion of the women migrant workers.

“If they are not given a simple and easy route, they tend to opt for illegal migration route,” he said.

Published on: 9 January 2012 | The Himalayan Times