Ban on Nepal women migrants denounced
August 14th, 2012 - 3:51 pm ICT by IANSNew York, Aug 14 (IANS) The Nepali government should revoke its new ban on women under the age of 30 from working in Gulf countries, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
Instead, the government should improve protections so that domestic workers can migrate safely, Human Rights Watch said.
At the same time, governments in the Gulf should adopt long overdue labour protections and immigration reforms, including ending the discriminatory treatment of domestic workers, to combat abuse of Nepali and other migrant workers, it said.
On Aug 9, Nepal’s cabinet approved a ban on women under the age of 30 from travelling to the Gulf for work.
The ban is a response to several publicized cases of abuse of Nepali domestic workers, including long work hours, unpaid wages and in some cases physical or sexual abuse.
The move comes two years after Nepal lifted a 12-year ban on any women working in Middle Eastern countries.
Many domestic workers have positive experiences and together send home billions of dollars in remittances each year to Asia, Human Rights Watch said. Others face abuse.
- Rights body cautions Dhaka over sending women workers to Saudi Arabia - May 08, 2011
- Nepal lifts ban on its women working in the Gulf - Dec 10, 2010
- Now, Nepali women to work in Gulf countries - Dec 13, 2010
- More than 400 Afghan women jailed for 'moral crimes' - Mar 29, 2012
- Policy needed for South Asian women migrants, says UN report - Jun 04, 2012
- 5,000 Nepalis in plight in Libya, says report - Feb 25, 2011
- Tension grips Nepalis in Middle East (Lead) - Feb 25, 2011
- HIV/AIDS support services in South Asia largely absent: UN - Nov 30, 2010
- Saudi Arabia bans maids from Indonesia, Philippines - Jul 01, 2011
- India biggest market for trafficked Nepali women - Jun 17, 2009
- Rights groups concerned over Afghan Govt. move to take control of women shelters - Feb 22, 2011
- Indian filmmaker ruffles feathers in Nepal - Aug 18, 2011
- India to work with UN for women migrants - Aug 27, 2010
- Sri Lanka, Kuwait to sign MoU for migrant workers - Mar 29, 2012
- Indian migration remains high despite economic crisis - Dec 04, 2011
Tags: asia, billions of dollars, discriminatory treatment, experiences, gulf countries, human rights watch, immigration reforms, middle eastern countries, migrant workers, migrants, nepal women, overdue labour, remittances, sexual abuse, time governments, unpaid wages