Nepal has requested Kuwait not to issue visas to Nepali women as housemaid before the countries reach an agreement on the matter. State Minister for Labour and Employment Tek Bahadur Gurung wrote to Kuwaiti Social Affairs and Labour Minister Hind al-Subaih during Abu Dhabi Dialogue--a consultative meeting of Asian countries sending and receiving labour--held in Kuwait City on November 26. Nepal has banned Nepali women from taking up a job of housemaid in Kuwait.

“It is imperative for both Nepal and Kuwait to reach a special agreement on the issue of letting Nepali women seek a job of housemaid in Kuwait. I would like to request the Kuwaiti government not to issue visas for Nepali housemaids before any agreement between the two countries is reached on the matter,” said Gurung. In response, Kuwaiti Minister Subaih said visa-related issues do not fall under the purview of her ministry and that she would inform the concerned ministry. 

According to the Nepali embassy in Kuwait, Gurung held separate talks with ministers of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar on the issue of Nepali migrants’ security and their working environment. Acting Nepali Ambassador to Kuwait, Bishal Bhattarai said that the two-day dialogue centred on security and rights of migrant workers, their capacity building and their exploitations by manpower agencies.

Published on: 1 December 2014 | The Kathmandu Post