IOM Returns Trafficked Nepali Workers from Lebanon
Analysis:
Nepal is one Asia’s most vulnerable nations as regards human trafficking, particularly of women and children for sexual, labour, and other forms of exploitation. The country’s ongoing political transition means that there are few economic opportunities at home. Undocumented migrants are also at high risk. Around 1,500 young people leave the country every day. Women constitute around 30 per cent of Nepali migrants and some 90 per cent of women finding jobs abroad get them through irregular channels.
Young women often see irregular migration as their only option and can easily fall into the hands of illegal recruiters and traffickers as they lack education and awareness. They often face discrimination at home and lack economic opportunities. There is also an open and unregulated border with India and an absence of appropriate cross-border and sub-regional counter trafficking mechanisms.
Victims are usually from rural areas and are lured by agents and brokers with false promises of a better life abroad, including in the Gulf and in Lebanon.
The US State Department’s 2012 “Trafficking in Persons” (TiP) report indicated that about 11,500 women and children were trafficked, were rescued or escaped in 2011 – more than double the number estimated in 2009/10. No figure was provided in the 2013 report. The problem has, nevertheless, increased considerably within the last decade as the country has experienced conflict and massive out migration flows.
Strong and collaborative efforts are needed to overcome the structural issues which are linked to migration and trafficking at the policy level and at the grassroots with information campaigns.
Pravina Gurung, National Programme Officer
IOM Nepal
Nepal - A group of 39 Nepalese migrants, most of them victims of trafficking and labour exploitation, yesterday returned home from Lebanon with the support of IOM’s Global Assistance Fund, GAF, and the Nepali Embassy in Cairo.
The embassy, which also covers Lebanon, last week approached IOM with a request for their repatriation.
This followed a visit to Lebanon by the Nepali Chargé d'Affaires in Egypt to monitor the working conditions of the nearly 7,000 Nepalese workers currently living there, including many working as domestic workers and housemaids.
He and his staff identified a significant number of Nepali migrants living in dire situations, residing irregularly after having overstayed their visas or having entered the country as victims of trafficking.
The Nepali Embassy subsequently issued travel documents to 45 migrants – 42 women and three men – all of whom were immediately moved to a safe house operated by Caritas Lebanon.
GAF took care of the travel arrangements for 31 migrants who were identified as being victims of trafficking. The remaining eight individuals, who did not fall within this category, were assisted directly by the Government of Nepal. Another six people have yet to be cleared for travel.
Back in Nepal, the returnees will be sheltered in safe houses managed by local civil society organizations working with returned migrants and victims of trafficking. They will be provided with assistance to facilitate their reintegration.
“Every day many Nepalis get trapped in conditions amounting to quasi-slavery. More cooperation and support is needed with and from countries of destination to detect and prevent this type of abuse. Nepal needs to do more to improve information and awareness before migrants leave. IOM and its partners are here to help rescue migrants, but also to strengthen Nepali consular services so that they can respond quickly and effectively to these cries for help,” said Maurizio Busatti, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Nepal.
The GAF, funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugee and Migration, PRM, is an emergency mechanism created in 2000 to provide direct, ad hoc assistance to victims of trafficking who are otherwise not taken care of by existing projects within IOM. Since its creation, GAF has been able to assist approximately 1,800 stranded victims.
For more information, please contact
Maurizio Busatti
IOM Nepal
Email: mbusatti@iom.int