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| Migration of Nepalese Youth for Foreign Employment: Problems and Prospects |
 PRINTABLE VERSION |
As a response to physical and sexual abuse of women migrants to the Middle East, His Majesty’s Government of Nepal officially banned female migration to the Gulf States in 1998. The migration of females is a bit restricted. To obtain a passport women have to produce a permission letter from their guardian, that is, from their husband if they are married or from their father if they are unmarried. This provision indicates not only the violation of women rights but also neglects the fundamental spirit of the constitution of Kingdom of Nepal in the 1990s.
Statistics show that remittances sent by migrant workers nears one hundred billion each year and this amount holds great importance to the national economy. Some economists have analysed the Nepalese economy as a remittance economy, in which the contribution of remittances has played a prominent role in keeping the national economy in balance during difficult financial times. The amount of remittances sent through informal channels has not yet been calculated but it is estimated to be equal to that which comes in from the formal channel.
An analysis of government policies and programs indicates a significant deficiency in protecting the rights of migrant workers and assuring their safe migration to the country of destination. The government has promoted policies regarding foreign employment but at the same time paid less attention to the provision of domestic services and facilities. Some of the provisions mentioned in the Foreign Employment Act-2042 involve the controlling of foreign employment business rather than promoting it.
On the one hand the importance of international labour migration has increased due to newly developed sources of income for Nepal’s households and on the other hand, until the late 1990s and according to the emphasis of most studies and the National Planning Commission (NPC), agriculture has been hailed as the key to rural development. In reality, the economic climate has changed from an agricultural based economy into a remittance based economy, according to several studies conducted by governmental and non governmental agencies. Thus, the issue of international labour migration needs to be addressed at the policy level, which could assist in promoting safe migration and the management of labour migration in an effective way.
The Nepalese government now intends to actively promote international labour migration and to safeguard the interests and welfare of migrants; however, only a few initiatives have been taken so far. Among these are bilateral talks with the governments of the Gulf States in order to increase the number of posts for Nepalese, increase security as well as improve the migrants’ conditions of employment. Furthermore the government is trying to regulate the procedure of recruitment. Therefore, a number of Gulf States and Asian countries to which Nepalese workers may be officially recruited are listed and conditions for registered recruiting agencies are defined, including the condition that these have to be based in the Kathmandu valley, that is, in or near the capital.
For all households involved in migration it the lack of opportunities in Nepal for employment and for secure livelihood strategies that leads to migration whether within the country or region, or overseas. Households that are poor have fewer choices with regard to migration opportunities and the very poorest households are the most vulnerable when it comes to illegal migration and various forms of trafficking. The recent Maoist insurgency also basically reflects frustration of youth with poverty and the lack of opportunities, which is again exerting migration pressure from the affected areas to other parts of Nepal or overseas, particularly India
The number of people going abroad for work has increased in the last few years, especially since the onset of armed conflict in Nepal. The major concentration of Nepali migrant workers abroad was traditionally in the Gulf States but the dynamics have changed and while the number of people going to the Gulf States is still significant people are have also been migrating to Malaysia over the past three years. A class division among the labour migrants is also found to select the country of destination, i.e poor people are to India, the Gulf States and Malaysia and rich people towards Japan, South Korea, North America and Europe.
There are various problems faced by migrant workers both in the home country and the country of destination. If the problems of migrant workers are not addressed at the policy level, solutions are far behind. The Nepalese government is on the one hand incapable of properly implementing existing policies and on the other hand there are several things yet to do in the regulation and management of foreign labour migration. Basic things that are found to foster improvements include amending existing laws, promoting labour markets through labour diplomacy, and administering manpower agencies and welfare activities to the best benefit of labour migrants.
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Prakash Bhattarai
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Comments
Migration of Nepalese Youth for Foreign Employment: Problems and Prospects Sudip Aryal | Aug 6th, 2006
A very seriuos issue of Nepal.
abhinav bhattarai | Apr 18th, 2007
a very grave issue that needs instant recognization from the govt level(if there is one!)I don't think the migration can stop any time soon...for umpteen reasons but neverthe less,effective measures have to be taken if we are to safeguard the intrest of neplese migrants.
A New Window Samyuktha P.C. | Jun 5th, 2010
Your article opened me out into the lives of Nepalis, I live far off in Tamil Nadu: South India. Similarities, windows to a new world - draws me to your article.
I run an online collective called Chai Kadai (literally translated as 'tea shop': a place for conversations around India).
We are launching our first monthly online magazine called Cutting Chai. The first issue discusses about youth cultures around the world, the importance of youth in a society, etc.
Having read this article, I would love to have you write about the Nepali youth population, its culture, and issues. Your piece would be a gem in our collection.
This magazine will travel the world, reach many important artists, experts, professionals, activists personally. I am waiting to hear from you.
To read more about us go to http://tigurl.org/b2xkur
Regards,
Samyuktha PC
Editor & Creator - Chai Kadai
chaikadai@gmail.com
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