As a part of the ongoing campaign to ensure the right to decent working and living conditions for domestic workers both within and outside Nepal, Amnesty International Nepal and Aaprabasi Mahila Kamdar Samuha (AMKAS Nepal) jointly organized a roundtable discussion with the members of the House of Representatives (HoR) on 12 April 2024.
Welcoming the participants in the roundtable, Nirajan Thapaliya, Director of Amnesty International Nepal shed light on the scores of human rights issues faced by domestic workers and provided a brief overview into Amnesty’s work on ensuring the rights of the migrant workers and its collaboration with AMKAS. Similarly, Bijaya Rai Shrestha, Executive Director of AMKAS, briefed about the organization’s efforts towards ensuring the rights of women migrant workers. She also shared the objective of the discussion which was to highlight on the benefits and opportunities for Nepal in ratifying the ILO Convention No. 189.
Dr. Meena Paudel, who specialises on gender and migration, then delivered an insightful presentation on the challenges faced by Nepali domestic workers both at home and abroad. She emphasized the necessity for Nepal, a country with very high rates of overseas migration, to ratify ILO C189 to be better able to uphold and safeguard the rights of domestic workers.
The program was attended by 32 parliamentarians representing three thematic committees, including the Committee on Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare; Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights; and Committee on Women and Social Affairs of the HoR.
Thanking Amnesty Nepal and AMKAS for organizing the roundtable, the parliamentarians pledged to advocate, lobby and do their best to sensitize and exert pressure on other stakeholders including other fellow members of the HoRs, government, and their respective political parties towards ratifying the C189.
Honorable Rosan Karki, member of the Committe on Women and Social Affairs, highlighted the challenges faced by women migrant workers, especially domestic workers, and pledged to raise this issue in the Parliament. She also committed to engaging with the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and advocating for the ratification of the C189. Hon. Sarswati Shrestha expressed that the Women’s Committee to which she belongs holds more responsibility towards pushing and pitching for the ratification of the C189 and pledged to do all including directing the Labor Minister towards taking initiatives for the ratification. Hon. Rama Koirala Poudel, member of the Committee on Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare viewed that it was necessary to discuss the matter of ILO 189 within various committees to form a unified opinion.
Former lawmaker Pemba Lama also emphasized the importance of negotiating with the leaders of respective political parties, their affiliated wings, and trade unions. She stressed the need for parliamentary committees to engage with various ministries including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs. Additionally, Laxman Basnet, General Secretary of SAARC Trade Union Congress, highlighted the significance of maintaining records of domestic workers and ensuring their inclusion in the social security fund. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Pushpa Thapa, Chair of AMKAS Nepal.