Lalitpur. Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Sharat Singh Bhandari has said that the government has a zero-tolerance policy towards exploitation and discrimination against Nepali workers. Speaking at a multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on trade and human rights in the context of labour migration, gender equality and climate change organized by the International Organization for Migration Nepal in Lalitpur today, Minister Bhandari said the government’s activism has been increased in favor of the workers living abroad.
Minister Bhandari highlighted the inter-relationship between trade, migration and human rights and said protection of human rights of workers along with responsible trade practices was the top priority of the government. “Foreign employment is not only a source of income but also a matter of dignity and rights of the workers, nepali women and men workers are making significant contributions to the development of labor destination countries, those countries should behave in accordance with the global values and spirit to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration,” he said.
He also informed that the Ministry is preparing for emergency rescue in view of the safety and security of Nepali citizens living in the conflict-affected areas. “Many Nepalis are spending the night in bunkers and the government is ready to rescue them if the situation becomes more complicated,” he said. Minister Bhandari thanked the Swiss Compact and other partners for their cooperation, saying efforts were being made to make the Labour World mobile application more effective to monitor and support the situation of Nepalis living abroad.
He also informed that efforts are being made to legalize nepalis living illegally in different countries at present. Minister Bhandari said that priority has been given to the safety of women workers for this purpose. Stating that the process of amending the Foreign Employment Act has already begun, Minister Bhandari pledged to amend the old and impractical legal provisions as soon as possible. He also said that the government has been moving ahead in the decade-long campaign to promote home employment with the aim of developing foreign employment as an alternative and not a compulsion.
Stating that the process of ratification of Conventions 81 and 87 of the International Labour Organization was underway, Minister Bhandari pointed out the need to accelerate the pace of inclusive economic growth to upgrade Nepal from LDC. He also made it clear that there is a plan to improve transparency and policy decisions through formalization of the labor market and the use of ‘digital’ technology. Stating that safe, dignified and regular labour migration would be possible only through a joint effort based on cooperation with all stakeholders, he called for cooperation and cooperation from all stakeholders.
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