KATHMANDU, JULY 28
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Nepal recently invited key stakeholders to discuss the joint strategy to effectively address forced labour in Nepal, on the occasion of the launch of the second phase of the ILO Project 'From Protocol to Practice: A Bridge to Global Action on Forced Labour (The Bridge Project II)'.
Nepal is indeed one of the countries with high risk of forced labour in the Asia-Pacific region, with both-traditional bonded labour and new forms of forced labour.
Bonded labour has been traditionally imposed to different groups, in particular Kamlari, Haliya, Kamaiya, and Haruwa-Charuwa. Under this system, they were forced to work for landowners under the pretext of a debt incurred by themselves or their ancestors, which often has high interest rates and is passed on from generation to generation.
The government has abolished bonded labour and liberated these groups and implemented a rehabilitation package. Nonetheless, many of these former bonded labourers still lack access to housing, land and livelihood opportunities, which makes them still vulnerable to return to forced labour.
According to the most recent data, there are 69,738 freed Haruwa-Charuwas, 27,570 freed Kamaiyas, 16,953 freed Haliyas, and 9,490 freed Kamlaris.
In Nepal, the first phase of the project saw significant strides, including in increasing awareness of bonded labourers about their rights, improved national policies to protect bonded labourers and more integrated data collection. "Nepal is one of the only countries in the world that have included a forced labour module in a recurrent study like a National Labour Force Survey," explained Oluremi Doherty, the Bridge Project manager.
Thanks to the project, a total of 1,115 former bonded labourers received skills training, allowing them to access decent work opportunities and even for some of them to start their own business.
The second phase of the project will focus on consolidating the gains made so far and will continue providing technical assistance to the government and social partners in combating forced labour through the implementation of national policies and action plans, and intensifying efforts in data collection, research, and knowledge sharing.
"We aim to support in particular the ratification of Protocol 29 and the enactment of the Integrated Forced Labour Act - two fundamental steps in eliminating forced labour in the country. So, let's take a proactive approach and work together to create a world where forced labour is no longer tolerated or accepted," said André Bongestabs, officer-incharge for ILO Country Office in Nepal.
Prakash Adhikari, undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MOLESS), confirmed the willingness of the Government to ratify the ILO Protocol on Forced Labour.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 29, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
