The National Core Group (NCG) of the Regional Acton Forum (RAF) on Fostering Safe Migration, with the support of SARI/Equity (South Asia Regional Initiative on Equity for Women and Children) and the active organizational assistance from NIDS (Nepal Institute of Development Studies), convened a Consultation to familiarize relevant ministries, members of the National Assembly and the media with the “Regional Safe Migration Policy” elaborated by the above Forum and to encourage the formulation of a Nepali Migration Policy that would be informed by elements of this rights-based and gender sensitive document.

The Honorable Minister of State for Labor and Transport was the Chief Guest at the meeting that was attended by over 90 different stakeholders including migrant workers, migrant workers association, government officials, political parties, media, trade unions, foreign employment associations and other interested individuals. The opening session was chaired by Dr. Bal Kumar K.C. (NCG Member). Mr. Tirtha Raj Gyawali, Executive Director, SAP Nepal, welcomed the participants and Ms. Helga Klein, Chief of Party, AED-SARI/Equity highlighted the Program’s support to the various Regional Action Forums in which Nepali experts had made considerable and valuable contributions during the past two years. One of their “products” was the subject of the current consultation and had been distributed to participants. Ms. Padma Mathema and Mr. Pratap Pathak (NCG Members) also presented papers on existing Nepali policies and acts relating to foreign employment.

In his Key Note Address the Minister indicated that a new act would be put in place in Nepal to manage the foreign employment process and that the government had recently formed a committee under the leadership of the Director General of the Labor department to formulate that act. The Director General acknowledged that an earlier draft had not been sufficiently ‘migrant friendly’ and that it had been decided to revise it to be more “protective” than “controlling”. He sought the cooperation and views of all the experts and stakeholders present at the meeting and thanked the organizers for providing him and his team with the opportunity to participate in this timely Consultation. In particular, he requested that another forum be convened where government officials could be briefed in detail about the contents of the Regional Safe Migration Policy as elaborated by the Regional Action Forum while preparing the new law in Nepal.