Kathmandu, Nov 7, An international conference on protection of the human rights of migrant workers is taking place in Kathmandu from November 12. National and international organizations working in this sector are taking part in the three-day conference.
The conference aims to discuss issues related to the human rights of migrant workers and support in their protection. National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said more than 62 representatives from 30 countries will be participating in the conference.
So far 25 countries have confirmed their participation. It is said delegates of organisations working in the human rights sector from labour supplying and labour taking countries including Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, South Africa, Qatar, India, Bangladesh, Thailand as well as from Global Network for Human Rights, are attending the conference.
Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun is scheduled to inaugurate the conference. NHRC commissioner Sudip Pathak said rigorous discussions will be held in the conference on five different themes with the participation of experts. The topics of discussion include: Migration Good Governance and the Rights of Migrant Workers; Fair and Responsible Admission of Workers; Irregular Migration;
Access of Migrant Workers to Justice and Collaboration with Global Network for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers. According to NHRC, the Government of Nepal is providing financial assistance for organizing the conference where the International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Organization on Migration (IOM) and the Unted Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are facilitating the programme.
Commissioner Pathak said at a news conference the NHRC organized here today to give out information about the international conference that collective efforts were needed for protecting the rights of the migrant workers. NHRC has been entering into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the human rights –related bodies of different countries for ensuring the human rights of the migrant workers.
So far, NHRC has signed MoU with three destination countries where Nepali migrant workers are working. NHRC signed MoU with the human rights commission of South Korea a year back, with the human rights commission of Qatar four years ago and with the human rights commission of Malaysia this month.
