June 15: Stakeholders during a discussion program organized by the People Forum for Human Rights in Kathmandu demanded amendment to the foreign employment policy which has not been amended for a long time.

Although such a policy should be revised every five years, the government is yet to amend the policy brought in 2011, said experts who attended the programme.

“The policy introduced in 2011 was based on the time and circumstances of that period. Now, it is time for the civil society and the government to work together in order to revise the policy,” said Som Luitel, an advocate and labor and immigration expert.  He stated that many new arrangements should be made for the rights of the workers.

“Bilateral, regional and international partnerships between supplier and labour destination countries also need to be strengthened. Meanwhile, it is equally important to ensure the rights of migrant workers at all stages of labor migration,” he added.

Luitel pointed out that it is equally important to link labor migration with development to make the workers skilled and emphasize on reintegration of those returning from foreign employment. He said that the federal structure should have been localized when the country adopted federalism.

Speaking at the programme, Hari Bahadur Thapa, chairman of the National Network for Safe Migration said that the policy that was introduced in 2011 when 2 million youths went for foreign employment will not be appropriate in the current situation. He pointed out that a new policy should include workers in the social security scheme.

Narnath Luitel of the trade union said that the structure of the trade union should be in accordance with the provincial structure to protect the rights of the workers.

Bijaya Rai Shrestha, executive director of AMKAS, said that foreign employment policy should focus on gender.