Government will implement AI’s suggestions: Labour Minister
Amnesty International Nepal launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness on rights of the Nepalese migrant workers. The program what Amnesty International named “migrant workers caravan” launched on 21 March 2012 came shortly after Amnesty International released a report on the condition of migrant workers.
Minister for Labour and Transport Management Sarita Giri inaugurated the campaign amid a function in the capital on 21 March.
Besides disseminating information on safe migration campaign intends to pressurize political leaders and other stakeholders to guarantee the implementation of Foreign Employment Act 2007 and uphold migrant workers’ basic human rights.
On the inaugural program, Minister Giri expressed her solidarity to the AI’s campaign. She also said that the government is committed to working towards making the foreign employment decent, organised and safe. She added that Unprofessional outsourcing agencies and their errant agents have been rampantly cheating people in the villages. Adding that due to the agents, people have been paying more money than the prescribed rate to get foreign jobs. ‘This situation will be taken care of very soon and all outsourcing agencies will be held accountable for their agent,’ she said. ‘Apart from these steps, the government will implement suggestions from AI to promote safe migration’.
Lawmakers from various political parties also expressed their commitments to work for the welfare of the migrant workers. Speaking at the programme, lawmaker Gagan Thapa asked the government to maintain profiles of the migrant workers, including returnees. He stressed the need to ban workers from seeking Indian route and curb unscrupulous acts at the airport.
Likewise, chair person of Parliamentarian Sub-committee on Labour relations Shanti Adhikari, Law makers Prahlad Lamichhane, Lalbabu Pandit and others emphasised for the rights of migrant workers.
Newly appointed Director General at the Department of Foreign Employment, Dr. Man Bahadur BK, admitted he had little knowledge about the foreign employment business. He said he would do his level best to improve the migrant workers’ conditions. He also promised to strengthen labour diplomacy amongst host countries for the safety of migrant workers. “The government will consider opening labour consulates in major destinations where there are absence of Nepalese embassies,” he explained.
AI Asia-Pacific Campaign Coordinator Robert Godden and Director of AI Nepal Rameshwar Nepal made presentations on the latest AI report and highlighted its work.
On the occasion all participants including minister and lawmakers expressed their political commitment by signing the commitment paper calling for an action demanding the secure environment to the Nepalese migrant workers. The program was chaired by Rashmila Bhochhibhoya, Secretary General of AI Nepal. Over 125 representatives from embassies, government offices, NGOs, media and experts participated the program.
In its latest report which released on December 2011, AI claimed that many Nepali workers are subject to exploitation and forced labour in destination countries mainly due to the rogue recruitment agencies.