Kathmandu, May 14:

Experts today urged the government to do away with the provision that bars women from going in the Gulf countries to work as domestic workers.

According to the Migrant Worker’ Act 1985, women can do domestic chores in foreign countries after getting sanction from their male family members.

In 1997, the government prohibited women from going to Gulf countries.

At a programme held by the Pourakhi-Nepal today, Prof Dr Shanta Thapalia, chairperson of the Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre, said: “Due to the prohibition, women were compelled to land in Gulf countries illegally. Thanks to the prohibition, women migrant workers are exploited by their employers and agents.”

A mechanism should be put in place to check exploitation, she said.

According to an estimate, there are over 60,000 Nepali domestic workers in Saudi Arabia alone. Their earnings constitute 11 per cent of remittance flowing into the country.

“Once the prohibition is lifted, it will be easier for us to check exploitation of women migrant workers,” Saru Joshi Shrestha of the United Nations Development Fund for Women said. She urged the government to address the issue.

“We do not have reliable data on the number of women migrant workers. Illegal women migrant workers cannot get support from humanitarian organisations during crisis,” said Manju Gurung, president of the Pourakhi-Nepal. The Pourakhi-Nepal filed a case against prohibition at Supreme Court on May 13 to prevent exploitation of women workers, she said.