PM Dahal seeks proactive role of envoys to promote Nepali migrant workers' rights

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed Nepali ambassadors abroad to work keeping the interests of Nepali migrant workers at first.

During his meeting with Nepali ambassadors for various countries mainly those serving as labour destinations for Nepali, the Prime Minister was concerned about various issues facing the Nepali migrant workers in the labour market abroad.

The government for the first time summoned the chief and representatives of Nepali diplomatic missions to Kathmandu for a two-day meeting convening on Monday to discuss migrant labour issues.

In the meeting, the envoys reported to the Prime Minister about pressing issues in migrant labour and presented a plan of action to address them.

The Prime Minister advised them to prioritise the promotion of international diplomatic ties and of Nepal's tourism industry, seeking ways to resolve the issues of migrant labour in a sustainable away.

This type of discussion is expected to be significant in safe and decent migration of Nepali workers and promoting their rights, according to the Prime Minister.

On the occasion, the head of the government acknowledged the contribution of foreign employment in addressing the issues arising from the internal job crisis in recent years. Foreign employment has been significant in bridging the gap in the balance of payment, bringing about capital, skills and technology in the domestic setting and in promoting the country's international relations, according to him.

As the Prime Minister assessed, fraud, human rights issues, delayed rescue and various risks at the workplace are among major challenges facing Nepali in foreign employment.

He was of the opinion of strengthening labour diplomacy to make the labour migration safe, decent and systematic by promoting the rights of workers with guarantee of at least minimum facilities and social security for them.

He was hopeful that envoys present in the meeting would realise a prompt need to end the situation providing a room to complain that migrant issues were not heard and responded by the diplomatic missions abroad. "I hereby direct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassadors and labour administration to remain active for the rights of Nepali migrant workers."

According to Prime Minister Dahal, we need to simultaneously boost job opportunities within the domestic labor market and ensure safe, decent and systematic foreign employment.

Making it clear that the trade deficit remains a big challenge for Nepal's economy, the Prime Minister called for an active role for diversification of the country-wise and commodity trade in order the maintain trade balance in the nation's favour.

PM Dahal issued directives for service delivery in a smooth and effective manner by making all types of consular services provided to the labourers going for foreign employment technology-based.

"The task has been initiated for including the workers going on foreign employment into the ambit of social security. An effective role has to be played to make arrangements for linking the workers to the social security schemes also available in the destination country while making the existing arrangement effective," he said, adding that the government aimed at linking all the migrant workers in foreign countries in the social security fund in the near future. He also instructed all the ambassadors to remain active to attain that goal.

The PM also stressed starting work promptly by preparing an action plan for revising and expanding the bilateral labour agreement, verifying the letter of demand, providing support for legal defence, addressing the problems related to domestic workers, safe accommodation and recording labourers who are not included in the archiving.

He expressed the belief that this interaction will make a significant contribution towards resolving the problems faced by the Nepali workers abroad, strengthening and expanding the diplomatic capacity of Nepal, creating an environment conducive to foreign direct investment within the country and the multi-dimensional development.

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