Qatar NRNA suggests including Gulf and Malaysian workers’ issues in state policies
DOHA:- The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) National Coordination Council (NCC) in Qatar has initiated efforts toward policy reform, aiming to safeguard the rights and interests of hundreds of thousands of Nepali workers employed in Gulf countries and Malaysia, ensure their social security, and secure their future upon their return to Nepal.
Through the ‘9th Middle East Regional Conference,’ scheduled to be held in Qatar on December 11 and 12, the Council intends to bring the issues and demands of expatriate Nepalis to the attention of policymakers; to this end, it has begun collecting suggestions from relevant stakeholders.
According to Krishna Panthi, President of NRNA NCC Qatar, although Nepalis working abroad contribute significantly to the national economy through remittances, issues concerning their labor protection, health, and reintegration remain overlooked.
The Council emphasizes that it should be the state’s responsibility to create an environment where those returning home—bringing with them the skills and experience acquired abroad—can live with dignity.
In this context, the Council has demanded that remittance fees—incurred when sending money from abroad—be reduced by at least 50 percent. It has also called for the operation of 24-hour migrant worker assistance desks at Nepali embassies and at Nepal’s international airports.
Furthermore, it has urged the expansion of the scope of effective insurance and social security, ensuring that workers and their families can easily access compensation in the event of serious illness, accidents, disability, or death.
Similarly, priority has been given to providing discounts on air tickets for travel between Nepal and the Gulf countries, offering special concessions in the sectors of healthcare, education, tourism, and hospitality, and arranging for concessional loans for home construction or business ventures.
The Council further advocates for the domestic certification of skills acquired abroad, the provision of vocational training, the promotion of entrepreneurship, and the introduction of a multi-purpose ‘Migrant Nepali Identity Card.’
NRNA Qatar has stated that the suggestions gathered during this campaign—conducted under the slogan “Respect for Workers, a Secure Future, a Prosperous Nepali Community, and a Prosperous Nepal”—will be presented at the policy level through the Government of Nepal ministers and high-ranking officials who will participate in the upcoming conference.
