WHAT is the present situation of Nepali women in overseas employment? Basically, three things have pushed women to migrate for foreign jobs. First, Nepali women, especially from rural and uneducated backgrounds, have few job opportunities in the country. Second, as domestic help and caregivers, female workers have higher demand than males in the world market. Third, there is an emerging tendency among the women to try to momentarily escape social and family-based discrimination in order to seek financial independence. Since there are not many options, foreign employment is the sole choice for them. How do you access the state of female migrants in the aftermath of the government’s age restriction on domestic workers? The rationale behind restricting domestic helps below 30 years of age is assumption that women get mature by that age. But various researches, including one by Maiti Nepal, show that only 5- 10 percent women above 30 go abroad. Another research, a case study of Nepali women who committed suicide in Lebanon, has shown that skills and language play more important role in lessening the degree of vulnerability. Higher age alone dœs not ensure safety in the absence of language and skills. The findings of these researches reinforce the fact that the government’s decision came in sharp contrast with the ground reality. What should the government do to ensure their safe migration? Since a majority of domestic workers are leaving the country through informal channels, primarily via India, it’s hard even to trace them. The state should encourage women with attractive packages to take a legal course. The package should include free skill training, orientation and counselling, and soft loans for fresh candidates. There should be reintegration and selfemployment loans for returnees. Such incentives will definitely encourage women to take the formal channel. Besides, the Foreign Employment Promotion Board should search for safer job markets for women. We should learn how the Philippines started sending workers to Beijing and Norway. (As told to Roshan Sedhai) GANESH GURUNG, foreign employment expert