A recent data from Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) shows that Nepal is at a historic point in terms of demography. While many developed countries have been facing the problem of the ageing population, this Himalayan nation with about 28 million people has over 57 percent of the population between age group 15-59. However, the population dividend has remained just a dream in Nepal as the nation faces an acute shortage of manpower. 

Although we smugly talk of the flow of remittance in the nation boosting its economy, a large amount of money from Nepal is being taken by workers from other countries, mostly from India. There is no official research on how much money is taken by international laborers, but experts believe the amount is much higher than we may imagine. 

While more than three million Nepalis are abroad for foreign employment, some 1,700 to 2,000 youths leave the country each day as migrant workers mainly in the Gulf countries. A data from Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) shows that 527,814 people left for foreign employment in 2013/14. 

According to the CBS, the percentage of household receiving remittance was 23.4 percent in 1995/6 while it had reached 55.8 in 2010/11. Likewise, Nepal received Rs 543.25 billion remittance, which equals 25.5 percent of country’s GDP in 2013/14, according to Nepal Rastra Bank. 

In this context, the government’s effort of establishing a labor bank is laudable. The main aim of such a financial institution is to regularize the flow of remittance. It will also benefit workers in the nation and overseas by providing loans at subsidized interest rates. This has raised hope that the returnee migrants can use their skills and knowledge—earned in course of foreign employment—to become entrepreneurs. 

Bilateral agreements with the destination countries to ensure safer migration is one of the priorities of the government but more importantly time has come to think about retaining youths in the country. Mitigating risks of foreign employment shouldn’t be the only priority of the government. Developing strong policies and long-term plans that entice youths to stay in Nepal should be government priority. 

The government should involve youths while drafting development policies and motivate them to work for the development of the nation rather than leaving the country to develop other nations. “It is very important to have an integrated policy to mainstream skills, knowledge and money earned in due course of foreign employment,” says Sharu Joshi Shrestha, head of economic empowerment unit at UN Women. She says that returnee migrants should also feel that there are plenty of opportunities in their own country to stay back. 

Some other critical issues vis-à-vis migrant workers need to be looked after. The first is about changing the cultural mindset. Chief Secretary Lila Mani Paudyal recently said that we need to change the traditional mindset in order to retain manpower in the country. Indeed, this fact has been overlooked. Lack of respect and wrong orientation about informal jobs is one of the major reasons that has enticed the youths towards foreign employment. They understand that being employed only means going to offices. 

Unskilled Nepali migrants can earn more in Nepal at low risks than in the Gulf countries but this message has not been delivered to the youth. Apart from creating lucrative job opportunities, changing traditional and cultural mindset and attitude of youths towards informal jobs is required. It is certain that youths will continue to go overseas unless they are given proper orientation about informal jobs. 

Education policy of Nepal has been able to make its citizens literate but has failed to make them skilled. Due to the lack of skill-oriented education in Nepal, majority of youths opt for foreign employment as a first choice for earning their livelihood. Also the major development policies don’t match with the education content in Nepal. Changing education policy in line with making them skilled is a must to retain youths in the nation. Youths will stop leaving the country if technical education is valued. 

Though migration is a never-ending process, remittance is merely a seasonal income of the country. For youths, agriculture is a neglected sector. Youths feel discouraged to take up agriculture as a profession due to probable risks involved in it. 

Even if agriculture contributes one third to the total GDP of Nepal, this profession has not been lucrative. The traditional form of agriculture should be professionalized and commercialized. Does the form of agriculture we are practicing match with the modern lifestyles of people? What about opening up an agriculture university? Until this issue is addressed, Nepali youths will continue to envision a future in foreign employment only, irrespective of any job. 

Published on: 7 January 2015 | Republica