Sending domestic workers to the Gulf countries has not stopped yet

Nepali team visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has learnt about the services, conditions and safety of domestic workers working there. The team, led by Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security Krishna Kumar Shrestha, who is currently on a visit to the UAE, sought information from the government and stakeholders on whether it would be safe to send Nepalese labourers as domestic workers

It is said that by visiting the Migrant Domestic Worker Service Provider (Tadbir Center), he got information about the working conditions of the domestic workers, legal system, remuneration, leave, social security, risk of violence and security guarantee. On the occasion, UAE government officials and the operator of the Tadbir Center said that the safety of domestic workers is guaranteed in the UAE. He briefed Minister Shrestha on the preparations to be done for domestic employment before going to UAE as domestic workers, the rights and security of these workers.

Although the government has banned sending of domestic workers to the Gulf countries since 2073 BS, the flow of illegal workers has not stopped. The government has recently made arrangements for Nepali women working as domestic workers in different countries to come back to their homeland. As the risk of sending workers through illegal channels has increased rather than sending them through legal channels, voices have also been raised to create a safe and legal working environment for the workers.

Countries like Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Lebanon are eager to take domestic workers from Nepal. Most women goes for household works. Efforts are being made to bring women workers to India not only through illegal routes but also through setting up at Tribhuvan Airport. The number of people going to countries like Iraq, Syria, Kurdistan is also large.

The International Relations and Labor Committee of the Parliament on March 6, 2008 said that Nepali women who go to become domestic workers are being exploited Until further notice, it was instructed to impose further restrictions on repatriation.

Since then, the government has been making arrangements with various conditions to allow domestic workers to go abroad in one form or another. Earlier, in 2069 BS, it was decided to stop women under the age of 30 from visiting the Gulf countries . The directive issued in 2072 had lowered the age limit to 24 years and laid down various conditions. At present, if a separate labor agreement is signed, domestic workers may be allowed to go to 42 countries.

The Parliamentary Committee had given a 7-point directive to the government on 13 September, 2077 BS that there should be a separate and concrete legal provision regarding the services, conditions and facilities of domestic workers in the country which wants to take domestic workers from Nepal.