Labour minister vows to stop anomalies in country’s foreign employment sector

Kathmandu, December 18

Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Bista has said that situations that put the life of thousands of youths in jeopardy would not be allowed to continue anymore.

Addressing an interaction programme on ‘Foreign Employment: The Way Forward’ organised by the Foreign Employment Promotion Board Secretariat marking the International Migrants Day 2018 today, he said, “There are still anomalies, aberrations and shoddiness in the foreign employment sector. These kinds of anomalies will not be allowed to continue anymore.”

He vowed to end the situation where migrant workers have been feeling they are disregarded.

Stating that the dignified and decent living of migrant workers has now become an international agenda, Minister Bista stressed on the need of collaboration among all nations for the protection of the rights and interests of migrant workers.

He stated that the Colombo Process, which is a regional forum prioritising the rights of the migrant workers in the international, regional and national forums, and the Global Compact on Migration have also focused their roles with the aim of providing justice to workers.

National Planning Commission member Dr Ram Kumar Phuyal said that preparations are being made to bring a programme through the 25-year long-term draft policy of the 15th Five-Year Periodic Plan to make the foreign employment returned youths self-employed.

Labour Secretary Mahesh Prasad Dahal, said there was no alternative to systematising labour migration as it has become a global trend these days. He added that the government has been taking steps to frame laws and policy reforms to systematise the labour migration sector by addressing problems seen in it.

Preparations are underway to convert the memorandums of understanding reached with labour destinations into bilateral labour agreements.

Calling for a collective effort from all stakeholders to regulate the foreign employment sector, Acting President of Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs’ Association Ram Prasad Bhantana, said they were ready to collaborate with the government to make foreign employment safe and well-managed.