INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

Kathmandu, October 25 Nepali government officials, private sector stakeholders and civil society representatives& meeting in Kathmandu today

acknowledged that ethical recruitment practices could play key role in protecting the rights of migrants and reducing the risk of people

becoming victims of forced labour or modern slavery. Stakeholders taking part in a national level consultation organised by the

International Organisation for Migration recognised that migrant workers were particularly vulnerable to exploitation at recruitment and

deployment phases of the migration cycle, when unscrupulous recruitment agencies and unauthorised agents can charge excess fees, provide

misleading information about jobs, and retain workers& identity documents. &There is now a growing recognition of ethical recruitment being

a vital part of robust migration governance

IOM is working collaboratively with the private sector, civil society, governments and the international community to make recruitment a

fairer process for workers, recruiters and employers,& said IOM Nepal Chief of Mission Lorena Lando. &Migrant workers fill critical labour

shortages

Employers and the governments of countries sending or receiving labourers should therefore share responsibility for their protection

throughout the migration cycle,& she added

IOM advocates for ethical labour recruitment practices through initiatives such as the International Recruitment Integrity System and

Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking. Umesh Dhungana, joint secretary, at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and

Social Security said migration is rarely ‘a choice& for Nepali migrants, due to lack of employment opportunities at home

The government is therefore committed to working with civil society, the private sector and the international community to promote ethical

recruitment, he noted

&Nepal is in the process of revising bilateral agreements with destination countries to implement the ‘employers& pay& principle and

minimise the burden on migrant workers,& he added. Labour migration for employment overseas plays a vital role in socio-economic development

and poverty reduction in Nepal

On an average 800 Nepalis leave the country through formal channels to work abroad every day, according to government statistics. The post

Ethical hiring practices to protect rights of migrant workers, say stakeholders appeared first on The Himalayan Times.