The exploitation of housemaids is increasing because they arrive illegally, said deputy head of mission, Deepak Adhikari, adding that illegal agent-based migration is rampant in the country. “It is mostly housemaids working for Indian employers who face exploitation and abuse,” he said. Of the total number of cases registered at the embassy, 80 per cent involved Indian employers.

 

According to UN Women, more than 7,000 Nepali women are currently working in the destination but the Department of Foreign Employment has a record of only 6,651 women since 2003-04. 

 

Commenting on the abuse of housemaids, Adhikari said, “It is true that most housemaids who reported cases of abuse were working for Indian families.” According to him, the number of abuses in Indian families does not mean that they are bad employers. “It just reflects the proportion of Indians hiring maids from Nepal,” he added. 

 

Statistics with the embassy also reveal that a majority of maids from Nepal are hired by Indian families living in the UAE. Maids from Nepal are polite, obedient and know how to cook Indian food. Therefore, they are preferred by Indian families. However, not all families treat them well.

 

The government opened the Gulf job market for women last June as illegal migration continued and created safety problems for thousands of women migrant workers. Still, everyday, about 60-70 women migrant workers reach Gulf countries through illegal agents via India. Errant migrant workers to pay fines

 

The government is planning to adopt a new policy to control the illegal behaviour of migrant workers. Foreign Employment Promotion Board is considering a concept to fine migrant workers if they are found violating job contracts. Migrant workers have to pay the visa fee, air ticket or fees of other services if they want to terminate a job contract without any valid reason, said executive director of the board Sthaneshwor Devkota. They should return the costs incurred by the recruiting agency or the employer because they invest thousands of rupees on them, Devkota said. He did not disclose all the facts behind the policy but it is clear that the new policy wants to control political unionism among Nepali migrant workers in foreign job markets.