About 2,800 Nepali migrant women have been rescued — following abuses and exploitations from their employers — from Gulf countries in the last two years.They faced difficulties at workplace because Gulf countries have not included domestic works in their labour law.

However, the situation is changing in the course of ratification of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 189 from the Gulf countries.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait are revising their labour laws granting minimum rights to migrant women working in the domestic sector.

“It is encouraging news to us that major destinations of Nepali migrant women workers are respecting informal migrant workers,” programme manager at Paurakhi Nepal Bijaya Rai Shrestha, said, adding that they are rapidly changing their laws to make laws friendly to women migrant workers in informal sector. “Hope next few years will bring changes in situation,” she added.

ILO Convention 189, which aims to provide labour rights to workers in informal sector, has adopted by the Gulf countries on June 16. “They are changing their laws in respect to global migrant rights scenario and it will be beneficial to Nepali,” South Asia coordinator of UN Women Saru Joshi Shrestha said, adding that Nepali women working in Gulf countries as domestic helps can enjoy equal rights in the coming years.

About 200,000 Nepali migrant women are working in Gulf countries and most of them in housemaids. Their conditions are measurable as they reached through illegal channels and are working at home. Cheating in salary and benefits and domestic violence are common to housemaids in Gulf countries while hundreds of Nepali women migrant workers are facing sexual abuse every year.

According to the survey, 88 Nepali migrant women returned home after being pregnant from employer and their relatives in last two years. About 32 returnees had brough child with them and about 111 Nepali women migrant workers are in prison of Gulf countries following complaints from their employers. Most of the prisoners are victim of their abusive employer and wanted to escape.

ILO country director to Nepal Shengjie Li said that as Nepali women migrant workers are suffering from abuse and exploitation in Gulf countries adoption of ILO 189 will provide then security. “We need to lobby for the convention because 90-92 per cent women in foreign jobs are housemaids and situation of Nepal is not an exception,” he said, adding that Nepal government also has to rectify it as soon as possible.

Published on: 18 July 2011 | The Himalayan Times