Nepal: SAARC Task Force on Migration

Organization: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and South Asia Center for Policy Studies (SACEPS), Kathmandu.

Participants: Total 65-- Bangaldesh (3), India (2), Nepal ( 59) and Sri Lanka (1). Think tanks, diplomats, government officials especially from foreign ministry, finance and labor departments, trade unions, donors, employers' council, academics, civil society members. Two women were paper presenters out of 8 and six discussants while one was chairperson. Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat inaugurated the program. One Pakistani participant could not attend seminar due to flight cancellation while one Indian participant had to cancel due to illness. 

Objectives of the seminar

To identify the common challenges faced by the regional workers working abroad,

To review the national policy deficits of regional countries regarding migrant workers;

To explore the possible areas where SAARC countries can harmonize their labor policies to promote the well-being of regional workers abroad, and

To learn from the experience and policies of regional countries.

Outcome:

The participants expressed the need to formulate various measures at the various levels to optimize the benefits of remittance economy and minimize the social costs. At the national level it recommended policies on workers protection, establishment of proper institutional and regulatory framework, training provisions for the migrants and the signing of bilateral agreement between the sending and receiving countries, pro-active role of embassies in labor receiving countries, fostering of protective and promotive measure to reduce the social costs of migration, reduction of transaction cost in the transfer of money, etc. At the regional level, the participants suggested the need to review policy documents and laws and formulate a model policy, establishment of SAARC Task Force on Migration, set up regional standards on collecting data and establish a mechanism to protect their rights. At the international level, the measures recommended were the establishment of multi-lateral framework for decent work for migrant workers, development of a common position on WTO, agreement on international norms on migration, equal rights and protection for the migration of both male and female, etc. It was agreed that these recommendations will be forwarded to SAARC leaders during the summit.   

Final Report of the Regional Seminar on "South Asian Migration, Employment and Poverty Alleviation in South Asia", held in Kathmandu, Nepal, August 9-10, 2007

Posted on : 2007-08-11 17:14:55

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