Participants at a seminar held by the Institute of Foreign Affairs on Monday said the stakeholders should focus on preventing exploitation and discrimination of the migrant workers both at home and abroad.

An integrated migration policy and inbuilt system have become essential to safeguard the rights of migrant and their families to regulate the safe migration, they said.

Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said most of the problems could be addressed by signing labour agreement, equipping ill-resourced government office, promoting good governance, improving pre-departure orientation and training, and curbing exploitation of workers. “The government is gradually working on ways to address these issues. The agreement among Saarc countries to collaborate on protection of cross-country labour was an important step towards that direction,” said Pandey.

Ganesh Gurung, a foreign employment expert, said Nepal overseas employment has been an all-encompassing sector and deserve more

attention.

“We are not in a position to stop foreign employment as it’s attached with the livelihood of poor people. We should acknowledge its contribution while making efforts to resolve the problem,” said Gurung.

Most of the participants stressed that Nepal should begin making policies to cope with possible impact that reverse migration could bring in the country. Arguing that over dependence on foreign employment would not be wise in long term, they emphasised the need to create more jobs in the country.

“Most of our workers are earning less overseas than they could have earned here. We should promote a culture that respects values of labour in the country,” said Lila Mani Poudel.

Rishi Raj Adhikari, head of Institute of Foreign Affairs, called for greater attention on migrant workers from the government and its partners.