KATHMANDU: Newly-appointed labour attachés have promised to protect Nepali migrant workers’ rights. “We will work for the benefit of Nepali workers and the nation,” they said in a programme held by Nepal Health Professionals’ Association (NHPA) here today.

The four labour attaches for three Gulf countries — United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Saudi Arabia — and Malaysia were apointed last month. These countries hire 90 per cent of the 1.2 million migrant Nepali workers. The Foreign Employment Act calls for labour attaches in all those countries where more than 5,000 Nepalis are working.

“My concern will be to protect the rights of Nepali migrant workers,” said Surya Prasad Bhandari, labour attaché for Malaysia which is the second destination after Qatar and where 3,25,000 Nepalis are working.

Malaysia was badly affected by the global economic meltdown in 2008 and around 3,00,000 migrant workers had faced job cut till this June. The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) data show that the demand for Nepali workers is increasing after mid-May 2009. Malaysia hired around 4,200 Nepalis between mid-August to mid-September.

Labour attache for Qatar Dhurba Prasad Koirala said that his priority will be safeguarding the health of Nepali workers. Qatar is a deadly place for Nepali workers where 125 Nepalis died in the first six months of the year. Heart attack alone claimed 68 lives during the period. Around 4,00,000 Nepalis are working in this overseas destination.

Parvati Aryal, labour attache for the UAE, said women migrant workers’ problems were her priority. “I will work to minimize the risks Nepali migrant women workers face,” she said. Cultural and language differences along with illegal migration have multiplied the grievances of women in Gulf countries. Around 2,00,000 Nepali women are believed to be working in Gulf countries — Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain — and most of them are illegal stayers. Binod Khanal, labour attache for Saudi Arabia, promised to promote Nepali workers in the country and protect their rights. The labour attaches will leave Nepal on Sunday.