Saved by the booth
JUN 16 -
We’ve heard it time and again, unfortunate stories of migrant workers who have returned to Nepal, their dreams of a better life overseas shattered. Media reports abound of those who are caught in illegal schemes and have their passports confiscated by deceptive parties, those who are paid only a fraction of what they were initially promised, or those who are forced to work relentlessly for long hours a day. One of the main reasons why these circumstances arise is owing to the painful lack of information about the destination countries and the jobs themselves available to workers, who pay enormous sums of money for the opportunity to go abroad. Unaware about the preparations necessary for the journey and the kind of expectations that are warranted of such a life-changing move, they then find themselves in predicaments that are often irreversible.
To rectify this to some extent, the government of Nepal has recently set up a Migration Work Information Booth at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), functional since April 9 this year. Operating through the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, the booth is open between 6 am - 11 pm every day, and located on the left hand side of TIA’s main entrance.
“Most people don’t know about the booth,” says Sumitra Basnet, one of the consultants. “But it’s a start at least.” Basnet says that there are a lot of migrant workers who leave without
knowing where they are headed. “Those headed to the Gulf countries are especially naïve,” she adds, before turning to help Sesh Nath Mahato, who has missed his flight, having failed to bring along the necessary documents. “It was all so vague,” he says in a low voice. “I had no idea about the labour permissions needed for migrant work.” Originally from Mahottari, Mahato was meant to leave for Malaysia, but will now have to wait for permission, as per the advice offered by the consultants. “This happens all the time,” Basnet says.
Without basic information on the living and work conditions that they are headed towards, workers are extremely vulnerable to exploitation—both physical and mental. Manju Gurung of Pourakhi Nepal, an NGO dedicated to the rights of female migrant workers, and a partner at the booth, says that lack of education is largely responsible for the many workers being led astray by ruthless manpower companies and brokers who promise them many things, but abandon them once fees have been transacted. “They’re completely helpless and often have no choice but to return home, having lost all their savings,” she explains.
The booth offers a sizeable collection of brochures and leaflets with relevant information for workers, like commonly used words and phrases in different languages, the kind of jobs that they will be expected to take up, health and life insurance, disease data, related legal terms, emergency contact information, and much more. The booth also aims to keep a record of those who have sought their assistance, so as to be able to track them once they leave. “We haven’t had too many visitors so far, but the numbers are growing day by day,” says Gurung. “In the last month we’ve had about 1,300 people come to us, and hopefully there will be more in time.” She says that the booth’s support will also extend
to those who’ve returned to Nepal with horror stories of exploitation overseas.
The initial idea for the booth had been the brainchild of Pourakhi Nepal, which had conducted discussions with government officials, airport authorities and other related bodies to get the project going. Positive reinforcement had come in the form of a government committee created for the welfare of migrant workers, headed by Ganesh Gurung. And then, with the financial support of Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation Nepal, the booth had finally materialised. Team leader of Helvetas’ Safer Migration Project Amina Maharjan says that work on the concept had started in September last year.
The effectiveness of the booth, however, has come under question, to which Maharjan explains that even the littlest of information that consultants can offer would place migrants in a better situation than going into their new jobs blindly. “Besides, we have plans to expand in the
coming months, given the cooperation of the Department of Foreign Employment,” she says. “We’re also hoping to offer a 24 hour service soon.”
The concept of the booth has been applauded by many stakeholders, including Bishnu Rimal, president of the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions. He adds, though, that considering the number of people who leave the country for migrant work on a given day—a staggering average of 700-1,500—the booth will need to step up its efforts if it is to be truly helpful. “The government should do more than provide last minute advice,” he says. “It should focus on giving pre-departure trainings and orientations on legal matters and other issues workers could encounter in the future.” Rimal suggests conducting these regularly on local levels, so as to reach as many people as possible.
The Migration Work Information Booth might not be capable of immediately solving all the problems faced by migrant workers, but it is certainly an encouraging step in the right direction, and will hopefully have an effect, albeit gradual. “These people are one of our biggest contributors to the national economy and their safety and dignity should be a matter of great concern,” says Rimal. “They shouldn’t feel like they’re nobodies.”
Posted on: 2012-06-16 08:51