19/10/2020
Returnee women migrant labourers stare at bleak future, survey finds
(/)
A significant number of Nepali workers have been returning home empty-handed after their contracts were either terminated in the wake of
Covid-19 or they had to rush to return home.
According to Harishchandra Ghimire, joint-secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whenever the issue of wage theft was reported to the
Nepali missions abroad, officials tried their best to solve the issue.
“We can’t say that not a single worker faced a problem during such a difficult time, but Nepali missions are trying their best to address the
workers’ problems,” said Ghimire. “Sometimes workers had to leave on a short notice. But clearing of dues takes time so they might have
returned unpaid. In such cases, arrangements are also made so that these workers get paid later.”
The report also pointed out the ordeal faced by women migrant workers (https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/07/05/exploitationrisk-for-women-migrant-workers-has-increased-during-pandemic-labour-migration-experts-and-rights-activists-say) during the pandemic in
destination countries and in Nepal upon their return. Quarantine facilities were not women-friendly and they were ill-managed.
“It looked as if the government’s decisions were being imposed on returnee migrant workers,” said Koyu. “For example, returnee women
migrant workers wanted to stay in Kathmandu for sometimes, but they were sent to their native places.”
Returnee migrant workers also expressed their intentions to start their own business in Nepal so that they can stay with their families. But
they expected financial support as seed money to do so. About 47 percent of respondents said they were interested in agriculture, livestock and
business.
Unable to see future opportunities and employment in Nepal, about 43 percent of the respondents wanted to go abroad again. Another 1o
percent were still undecided.
“Running the household was the main concern for the workers,” said Koyu. “They are worried about what kind of work they will get with
almost no skills and their age. They are not sure about getting jobs for at least two years. Government agencies like the Foreign Employment
Board should do something so that returnee women workers can avail government schemes rolled out to help them.”
(/author/chandan-kumar-mandal)
Chandan Kumar Mandal (/author/chandan-kumar-mandal)
Chandan Kumar Mandal is the environment and migration reporter for The Kathmandu
Post, covering labour migration and governance, as well as climate change, natural
disasters, and wildlife.
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