Kathmandu: Minister for Youths, Labour and Employment, Ramji Yadav, has asserted that the government is committed to making the domestic labour sector safe, systematic, and dignified. In today’s meeting of the Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare Committee under the House of Representatives (HoR), Minister Yadav expressed the belief that many issues of workers would be addressed once the existing Labour Act is amended.
According to National News Agency Nepal, discussions during the meeting also involved stakeholders regarding the management of workers through ‘outsourcing’. Committee President Rahabar Ansari emphasized the committee’s dedication to protecting workers’ rights and eliminating irregularities in labour outsourcing. He voiced concerns over the trend of outsourcing labour and the potential violation of workers’ rights facilitated by the Procurement Act in both public and private sectors. Ansari maintained that no entities should evade their responsibilities towards workers under the guise of labour outsourcing.
Additionally, lawmaker Kshitij Thebe proposed that the Committee should conduct visits to Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, and other countries to directly monitor the conditions of Nepali domestic workers, which he described as vulnerable. He argued that direct monitoring would help in identifying problems and devising solutions.
Lawmaker Ranju Neupane highlighted the necessity of ending labour exploitation in outsourcing companies. Neupane suggested forming an expert committee to prepare a study report by collecting data, emphasizing the importance of drafting a labour act centered on workers’ rights.
Lawmaker Som Sharma stressed the importance of introducing policies to create laws favoring workers and ensuring company accountability. Lawmakers Martika Prasad Yadav, Buddhi Prasad Panta, Arbinda Sah, Kali Bahadur Sahakari, and Srijana Shrestha, among others, also shared their views in support of safeguarding workers’ rights.