Formulating a draft of 'SAARC Plan of Action' for cooperation on matters relating to migration, Nepal has proposed to establish minimum regional standards on labor migration, that would include information regarding working conditions, working hours, leave and vacation time and social security of the workers planning to go abroad.
The draft even asks information about food and accommodation, insurance and compensation, and conditions of contract termination.
Nepal formulated the draft after the 18th SAARC Summit that was held in Kathmandu. The member states of the SAARC during the summit had agreed to collaborate and corporate for proper management of labor migration from South Asia. The agenda in the SAARC declaration even mentions of 'security and wellbeing' of the outbound migrant workers of the SAARC countries.
The SAARC summit addressed the agenda of labor migration for the first time to bring a common labor law in the region to govern all the SAARC countries.
Director at Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB) Nirmala Thapa said that the draft has included many sides of migration including fair and ethical recruitment.
The recently-drafted 'Plan of Action' has even sought improvement in the justice mechanism and rapid rescue by amending 'SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking of Women and Children for Prostitution, 2002'.
Development of regional framework for Labor Migration Information (LMI), strengthening pre-departure orientation program for workers, establishment of a technical committee on labor migration comprising representatives of the SAARC states among others are also proposed in the draft.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has forwarded the draft to the member countries via SAARC Secretariat to get feedbacks. Joint Secretary at the MoFA Ramesh Khanal confirmed that they have forwarded the 'Plan of Action' draft to the member countries of SAARC for feedback.
Stakeholders have been saying that a common labor law governing the labor-sending countries in SAARC is a must to protect rights of migrant workers and strengthen the member countries' collective bargaining position.
Data show that around 36 millions South Asians live outside the region. More than 3.3 million Nepalis are working abroad, mainly in the Gulf countries, according to the records at the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE).
Related story
Road safety draft gathering dust at the Ministry of Transport f...
-1778309205.webp)
