Labor Minister Bista vows to stop anomalies in foreign employment sector

Kathmandu / Dec 18: Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Bista has said that situation putting the lives of thousands of youths in jeopardy would not be allowed to continue anymore.

Addressing an interaction program on ‘Foreign Employment: the Way Forward’ organized by the Foreign Employment Promotion Board Secretariat marking the International Migrants Day 2018 today, he said, “ Still there are anomalies, aberrations and shoddiness in the foreign employment sector. These kinds of anomalies will not remain for many days now.”

He vowed to end the situation where the migrant workers have been feeling they are disregarded.

Stating that the dignified and decent living of the migrant workers has now become an international agenda, Labour Minister Bista stressed on the need of collaboration among all nations for the protection of the rights and interests of the migrant workers.

He stated that the Colombo Process which is a regional forum prioritizing the rights of the migrant workers in the international, regional and national forums and the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) have also focused their roles with the aim of providing justice to the workers.

National Planning Commission (NPC) member Dr Ram Kumar Phuyal said that preparations are being made to bring programme through the 25-year long-term draft policy of the 15th Five-Year Periodic Plan for making the foreign employment returned youths self-employed.

Labor Secretary Mahesh Prasad Dahal said that there was no alternative to systematizing the labor migration as it has become a global trend these days. He added that the government has been taking steps to framing laws and policy reforms for systematizing the labor migration sector by addressing problems seen in it.

Preparations are underway to convert the MoUs reached with countries of labor destination into bilateral labor agreement.

Calling for a collective effort from all stakeholders to regulate the foreign employment, Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs’ Association Acting President Ram Prasad Bhantana admitted they were ready to collaborate with the government to make foreign employment safe and well-managed.

Bhantana said, “Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs are ready to change for good. Let’s take a common commitment and let’s make agenda. Let’s initiate self-employment for the foreign returnees.”

He viewed the lure of foreign employment will lack its luster once self-employment campaign gains momentum in the country.

Board’s Executive Director Rajan Prasad Shrestha said that the Board was actively working for enabling environment for the foreign returnees through the social and economic reunion programme.

On the occasion, a souvenir was launched marking a decade of the establishment of the Board.