KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 8

Minister of Labour, Employment, and Social Security Krishna Kumar Shrestha reaffirmed his commitment not to backtrack from the campaign to reform the foreign employment sector.

At a discussion held by his office today with stakeholders regarding preparation to hold the upcoming labour-related Joint Working Committee of Nepal and UAE, Minister Shrestha said that it was government's prime responsibility to protect the lives of millions of youths who had gone abroad for foreign employment.

Stating that he has been working in a result-oriented manner and in the best interest of the migrant workers, Shrestha called for cooperation from stakeholders for the safe migration of Nepali youths.

He warned that those exploiting and duping aspiring and working Nepali migrant workers would be brought to book. According to him, Nepal, in the upcoming joint working committee with the UAE, will prioritise issues such as hike in minimum wage for Nepali migrant workers, investment in skill development, reintegration, and resettlement programmes, among others.

Similarly, Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security Yek Narayan Aryal said that the ministry's leadership was working seriously to address the weaknesses prevailing in the foreign employment sector.

During the upcoming meeting with UAE government representatives, Nepal will pitch for agendas such as investing in skills development centres in all seven provinces, health insurance for migrant workers, involving them in social security schemes and increasing minimum salary for them, among others, according to Aryal.

Minister Shrestha is leading the Nepali delegation to the Nepal-UAE joint working committee meeting to be held in the UAE. The meeting aims to facilitate implementation of bilateral labour agreement reached between the two countries.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 9, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.