Rs 1.39 billion Swiss grant for safer labor migration and local governance

KATHMANDU, July 5: The government of Switzerland has agreed to provide a grant assistance of CHF 14 million or, approximately Rs 1.39 billion, to Nepal to support projects in two different areas.



According to a press statement issued by Embassy of Switzerland on Friday, while over CHF 8.95 million will be spent for programs in the area of safer labor migration, remaining CHF 4.9 million will be spent on the implementation of Strengthening the Accountability of Local Governments (SALG) project.

An agreement was signed between H.E. Thomas Gass, Switzerland´s ambassador to Nepal, and Madhu K Marasini, joint secretary, International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of their respective governments amidst a function held on Friday. [break]



“Based on the successful past collaborations with the Government of Nepal and civil society organizations, the second phase of Safer Migration Project will support the efforts to address the needs of Nepali labor migrants leaving for Middle East and Southeast Asian countries,” said the statement.



The statement said the project will continue to provide relevant information to the aspiring migrants and their family, vocational skills trainings, legal support, psychosocial counseling as well as shelter for returning migrants in distress. “The project will also strengthen the capacity of the government authorities and civil society organizations to ensure a more effective implementation of Nepal´s Foreign Employment Act (2007) and related policies,” the statement further said.

The project will be implemented in 19 districts of Nepal jointly by HELVETAS Swiss Inter cooperation under the leadership of the Steering Committee chaired by the Secretary of Ministry of Labour and Employment.



Likewise, Strengthening the Accountability of Local Governments (SALG) is designed to strengthen the capacity of the right holders, especially, disadvantaged groups to engage in local governance processes and to access the services in a more efficient and effective manner. The project will enhance the capacity of people and the community based civic society groups such as Ward Citizen Forum to hold the local governance actors accountable in their respective constituents with the use of social accountability tools, according to the statement.



The project will be implemented in nine districts of Nepal in close coordination with and steering of Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development in complementarily with Local Governance and Community Development Programme (LGCDP).

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