The risky business

Of every 100 people who enter Nepal’s workforce each year, at least 75 leave the country to work abroad. The numbers seem incredible. Last fiscal year, a record 300,000 people left—a whopping 80,000 more than the previous year. As the country fails to stem the outbound tide—if it wants to at all with remittances contributing 19 percent of GDP—opinions remain divided on the migration debate. But with an increase in out-migration, there has also been an increase in a host of related problems. From workers overstaying their visas, violence and sexual assaults against women in Arab countries, to many cases of fraud at the personal and organisational level, the state has been unable to ensure regulatory and security provisions for the thousands that flock out of the country each year. In the first seven months of this fiscal year, a record 1,126 complaints offraud were lodged at the Department of Foreign Employment. This accounts for a demand of Rs 686 million in compensation. Among the complaints filed, one single organisation has cheated some 600 people. 718 of the total number were cheated on a personal level, while the remaining 408 were cheated organisationally. The Department says it doesn’t have the means for such mass compensation, but at the same time, has failed to come up with some mitigation measures. By now, it is clear that out-migration is going to be a reality for Nepal for at least a few decades to come. In this context, it is of urgent need for the government to create proper regulations around migration to counter the growing trend of fraud by manpower agencies and their employees, and also to take some responsibility for its citizens abroad. This means the creation of effective national policy, coupled with stronginter-country and diplomatic agreements to safeguard the rights of Nepali migrant workers abroad. Towards this end, the recent move by Finance Minister Barshaman Pun to seek amnesty for Nepali workers in Saudi Arabia is a step in the right direction. The delegation also raised a number of important and necessary issues like that of a bilateral labour agreement, and assistance to open a world-class vocational training institute in Nepal for pre-departure training and orientation for migrantworkers. Bilateral labour agreements with all countries that take in Nepali migrant workers are a must. Likewise, the latter, if materialised, would go a long way in preventing the exploitation of workers not only in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, but all over the world. But in the long run, given the reality of Nepal’s domestic labour economy, the government will have to work towards increasing the number of semi-skilled labourers abroad—a market that has, till-date, remained relatively untouched by Nepali workers abroad. This market not only holds more potential to give back to the families and the Nepalieconomy, but also would minimise the risk factors associated with out-migration.