Prabhakar Ghimire

The government is preparing to introduce Labor Migration Policy with the objectives of ensuring greater rights and protection of Nepali migrants and proper utilization of remittance receipts in productive sectors. A draft of the policy prepared by the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM) is currently under consultation among different stakeholders before giving it a final shape. The first ever migration policy in the country´s history envisages minimizing job related risk and insecurity as well as promoting skilled job opportunities through diversification of labor market and forging collaboration through common vision and strategies among sending and destination countries in a bid to discourage human trafficking to overseas destinations.

Encouraging involvement of private sectors and international agencies to explore new labor destinations and promoting labor market for Nepalis as well as taking initiative to open diplomatic missions in recipient countries have also been outlined in the draft policy.

“We have tried to incorporate prominent issues related to foreign employment sector. We will finalize the draft after compiling inputs from stakeholders,” a high level source at the MoLTM told myrepublica.com. “We are hopeful that the proposed draft would address most of the burning issues related to labor migration.”

The draft also envisages timely expansion in the purview of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Women Commission (NWC) to monitor the violation of rights of Nepali workers in labor destinations, involvement of families of migrant workers in formulating programs to integrate them in the society and government contribution in existing Foreign Employment Welfare Fund.
* Focus on ensuring rights of migrant workers
* Minimizing illegal trafficking of workers
* Enhancing skill of Nepali overseas workers
* Free legal consultancy to victims
* Welfare programs for families of migrants
* Setting up network of sending countries
* Fixation of minimum wages for workers
* Productive use of remittance through PPP

Likewise, necessary arrangements to bring back Nepalis languishing in foreign jails, fixation of minimum remuneration for overseas jobseekers according to country and jobs and collective bargaining with recipient countries for common remuneration for workers from SAARC countries are the other issues incorporated in the draft policy.

The draft also envisages reviewing existing insurance policy and execution of pension scheme for migrant workers; mobilization of Nepali missions, labor attaches, human rights organizations and migrant workers´ associations to safeguard rights of migrants; including issues related to foreign employment in school curriculum; and providing country specific and job specific orientation and training to jobseekers.

The policy also proposes putting in place effective surveillance in departure points and international borders to regulate migration and human smuggling and timely monitoring the implementation of labor contracts.

Realizing plethora of problems being faced by the workers, the draft also proposes incorporating issues of domestic labors and women in the labor contracts with host countries, besides putting in place effective mechanism to rescue undocumented workers stranded in labor destinations.
Setting up emergency shelter houses for workers, using the skill earned by migrant workers for national development, promotion of public private partnership (PPP) for effective utilization of remittance receipts, establishment of SAARC level network of migrant women and inter-state mechanism to control women trafficking are also incorporated in the proposed policy.

Published on: 7 July 2010 | Republica