Non-Resident Nepalese Association (NRNA) seems confused about the role of Nepali migrant workers in the Gulf countries.

 

During the first session ‘Foreign Employment and Safe Migration’ in the second day of the fifth global conference here today labour migration expert Dr Ganesh Gurung demanded for voting rights to migrant workers and urged NRNA not to overlook Gulf countries. “There are over two million Nepalis in the Gulf countries,” he said, adding that NRNA should have special focus to the region. “If Gulf region is ignored NRN movement will not be successful,” he warned.

 

The participants also raised the voice of the pathetic condition of the Nepalis in the Gulf countries. “Above 1,000 Nepali youths have been loosing their lives each year and thousands are exploited in the job markets of Gulf countries,” said a NRN from Qatar Bibek Tamang.

He also urged the government to improve regularisation and facilitation of migration process for safe migration. “The government has to control outsourcing agencies cheating, and ensure legal ground and boost welfare activities in the destinations,” he said, adding that diplomatic missions in the Gulf countries have failed to safeguard migrant workers interest due to crunch of human resources.

 

Though, some participants agreed on importance of foreign jobs for next few years as there has been no employment opportunities back home, others claimed the Gulf as ‘death bed to Nepali youths.’

 

Another NRN Narayan Wagle from Saudi Arabia said that the government should not sent women to Gulf countries without proper safeguard mechanism and infrastructures in the host countries. “Appointment of labour attaché and a safe house is not enough to safe guard thousands of Nepalis in Gulf,” he said.

 

“Labour attaché should be deployed according to the population of workers in the country,” Bhim Sherchan, another NRN from Malaysia said, adding that the government should appoint at least four attaché to safeguard over 400,000 Nepalis.

More than 200,000 Nepali women are working in the Gulf countries – Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. However, outsourcers expressed their dissatisfaction in the government’s lack of regulating and promoting the business. “Fair and responsible foreign employment is possible only after the government ban agents,” president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies Som Lal Bataju said.

 

Similarly, president of Foreign Employment Agencies Prem Katuwal called to start a social campaign to abolish discrimination among profession. “Respect of labour will build better job environment in homeland and abroad,” he said, suggesting the government to allocate more budget in rescue operation of migrant workers.

 

Remittance from migrant workers has been lifeline of the economy with over 50 per cent households depending on it. However, neither the government nor the NRNA movement have addressed their problems.