The foreign employment sector witnessed a boom in women’s migration despite the government banning women below 30 years from joining foreign jobs. 

The Department of Foreign Employment’s data showed that about 6,184 women migrant workers joined foreign jobs in the first three months of the current fiscal year, as compared to 2,264 during the same period last fiscal.

The government had banned women under 30 from joining as domestic helps in Gulf countries — major job market — on August 9. The ban had been imposed to reduce incidents of abuse and exploitation among domestic helps.

Earlier, in 1998, the government had imposed a ban on women joining jobs in Gulf countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and others.

According to the department, a significant increase has been seen in women migration when compared to total migration. Of the 130,787 Nepalis who migrated for foreign jobs between Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August) and Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) 4.73 per cent were women. The share of women migrant workers was just 2.60 per cent of the 87,253 migrants a year back.

Migration of Nepali women for foreign jobs witnessed a steady growth in the first three months of the current fiscal year. About 1,749 Nepali women joined foreign jobs in Shrawan followed by Bhadra (1,820) and Asoj (2,615). But women reentering foreign job markets has seen a gradual fall at 431 in Shrawan, 368 in Bhadra, and 238 in Asoj.

However, controlling illegal migration via India is still a challenge for the government. About 30 to 40 women are still believed to be reaching Gulf countries via New Delhi and Mumbai daily. The nexus of agents based in the country and India have been sending Nepali women to Gulf countries for years.

About 244,000 Nepali women are believed to be working in Gulf countries but only 58,000 have been recorded at the department since fiscal year 2007-08. A study by UN Women and Nepal Institute of Development Studies in 2010, showed that the number of women migrants in Saudi Arabia was at 63,000, followed by Kuwait (25,000), Qatar (18,000), Oman (10,300) and UAE (7,000).

The department’s record of prior approvals of demands for Nepali workers from major job markets — Gulf countries and Malaysia — indicated that migration will increase in the coming months. It has approved 170,151 demands in the first three months of the current fiscal year. Generally, prior approvals indicate migration pattern for the next six months.

Published on: 19 November 2012 | The Himalayan Times