As conflicts and geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East, Nepali migrant workers are facing a precarious and dangerous situation. The registration of over 86,000 Nepalis for emergency assistance is not just a statistic; it represents a collective plea for safety, dignity, and acknowledgment from individuals who contribute to the nation's economy but are often overlooked in times of need.

For years, Nepal has heavily relied on remittances from its migrant workers, who not only support their families but also play a crucial role in the country's stability. However, when crises arise, these workers are left vulnerable and neglected. The recent incidents in Abu Dhabi, where several Nepali workers were injured by debris from intercepted drones, highlight the harsh reality of the risks they face in conflicts they have no part in initiating or controlling. (Migrant workers in wartime | Nepali Times)

The Nepali government has taken some measures to address the situation, such as establishing a 24-hour Emergency Control Room, expanding hotline services, and deploying Rapid Response Teams at embassies. While these efforts are commendable, they must be carried out with urgency, coordination, and transparency to be effective. Many migrant workers are still stranded due to flight cancellations, delays in labor approvals, and unclear evacuation plans, especially in high-risk countries like Kuwait and the UAE. (South Asian Workers Stranded by War on Iran)

The situation is even more dire for those who are unable to return home. 38 Nepali individuals are still stranded abroad due to logistical challenges and bureaucratic delays. Each of these individuals has a family waiting for closure, with mothers anxiously checking the news every night and children wondering when their fathers will return. While the government has managed to repatriate a few, the majority are left in a state of uncertainty.

This crisis not only has humanitarian implications but also economic consequences. The conflict in the Middle East poses a direct threat to remittance inflows, which are Nepal's primary source of foreign income. A significant decrease in remittances would have a ripple effect on rural communities, impacting livelihoods, education, and healthcare. For many families, a disrupted remittance is not just a financial setback but a matter of survival.

Despite the challenges, the lack of clear communication from officials has heightened public anxiety. Families are in need of regular updates on rescue efforts, diplomatic negotiations, and available support services. Trust must be earned through transparency and decisive action.

It is crucial to recognize the diverse vulnerabilities within migrant communities. Women workers, undocumented migrants, and those in informal sectors are at a higher risk of exploitation, abuse, and exclusion from rescue efforts. Protection measures must be inclusive, rights-based, and gender-sensitive to ensure that no one is left behind in times of crisis.

Nepal is at a critical juncture. This moment requires more than just a bureaucratic response - it necessitates a moral reevaluation of how the nation values its labor force. Protection should not be an afterthought triggered by tragedy; it should be a national pledge, ingrained and lasting.

The issue is no longer about whether migrant workers drive Nepal's economy - they undeniably do. The real question is whether the country has the bravery to acknowledge them as citizens first, deserving of full respect, security, and support, regardless of where they reside and work.

The response will not only shape the outcome of this crisis but also define the ethical direction of Nepal as a country.

Beyond Remittance: A Crisis of Dignity and Protection for Nepali Migrant Workers | New Spotlight Magazine

On the occasion of International Women's Day, on March 8, DASTAk Foundation, a Pakistan based civil society organization working against gender-based violence across Pakistan, organized a virtual panel discussion on "Envisioning Elimination of Violence Against Women Across South Asia." The panel discussion aimed at starting a conversation on empowering survivors as change-makers, recommendations and a way forward to eradicate gender-based violence.

The panel discussion featured women rights activists and representatives of civil organizations working to counter GBV in the South Asian region, including Lubha Raj Neupane, WOREC's Executive Director, Dr Asma Shakir Khawaja, Associate Professor at National Defense University, Pakistan, Kamla Bhasin, Indian developmental feminist and activist, Shiranee Mills, Executive Director of Women's Education and Research Centre, Sri Lanka, Shireen Pervin Huq, a Women's rights activist, Bangladesh, Syed Ali Hameed from DASTAK, Pakistan, and Sayed Mohebullah Haqiq, Country Director of Women for Afghan Women, Afghanistan.

The panellists shared their experiences in combatting gender-based violence, infanticide, domestic violence, and early marriage and discussed ways and means through which collaborative interventions can be launched to eliminate violence against women across South Asia.

While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to aggravate the already vulnerable situation of the survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, the Nepal government still fails to ensure justice for decade-long conflict-related sexual violence survivors, survivors and right activists said at the virtual interaction program to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on 20th June 2021.  

The interaction program ‘Women Survivors of Conflict in context of Covid 19 Pandemic,’ was convened by WOREC and Sahaj Network, National Network of Conflict survivors to address the challenges that survivors of sexual violence are facing and to advocate for appropriate response programs for their reparation and reintegration.   

Nepal’s decade-long armed conflict saw astounding atrocity crimes of sexual violence committed against women and girls by both the security forces and the Maoist combatants. Various reports also highlight the way both parties systematically used rape and sexual violence as a tool to control, victimize, and humiliate their perceived enemies. Thus, sexual violence against women and girls during the conflict was widespread, and the documented cases show that the girls under 18 were particularly vulnerable.  

Although many women and girls faced sexual violence during the conflict, most cases are underreported due to the fear of social stigma, rejection from the families and communities, insecurity, and lack of gender-sensitive services. According to Bishnu Pokharel, Commission Member of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), out of  64,000 complaints screened by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), only 314 are related to sexual assaults.  

On the other hand, those, who have filed a report on sexual violence, are still waiting for justice, reparation, and reintegration into the community. 

“Survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are not only battling with their emotional trauma but are also facing financial burden and social stigma since the government has yet to address their issues. And now, the Covid-19 pandemic has further intensified existing structural, institutional, and social-cultural barriers for survivors to get access to justice, and the government has overlooked their issues,” said Soniya Chaudhary, the chairperson of Sahaj Network.  

Chaudhary further pointed out that chronic underreporting of crimes has only been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic since the movement restrictions imposed by the government to curb the virus have limited the ability of survivors to report incidents.  

Chaudhary also highlighted that since the government has neither allocated a separate budget nor formulated any policy for the reintegration of the conflict survivors, they haven’t got any relief distributions to ease their financial burden amidst the pandemic. “As many conflict survivors lost their jobs amidst the prohibitory ordered issued by the government, they are financially struggling. However, they haven’t got any relief distribution from the government yet,” said Chaudhary.  

Addressing the issue, Anita Gyawali, Department Head at the Ministry of Social Development, Karnali Province, stated that the local government at Karnali Province has always been concerned about the challenges faced by conflict survivors and have been working closely with the central government to support reintegration and livelihood programs for the survivors.  

“Karnali province will be introducing three schemes program for the conflict survivors to help the survivors live a dignified life. The program includes providing free education for the child of conflict-affected families until they graduate, providing vocational training for the sustainable livelihood, and providing a monthly allowance for disabled survivors,” said Gyawali.  

Devi Oli, Chairperson of Social Development Committee of Karnali Provincial Assembly, also pointed out that although Karnali province had earlier come up with the reintegration program targeting the conflict survivors, due to the lack of separate policies addressing the needs of conflict survivors and flawed registration system, many conflicts related sexual violence survivors couldn’t get access to the program.  

Both Oli and Dhan Raj Shahi, National Human Rights Officer at National Human Rights Council, stressed the need for proper regulation and mechanism to collect data of the conflict-related sexual violence survivors for their access to the schemes provided by the government.  

In the program, although Bishnu Pokharel, Commission Member of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), acknowledged that there are some gaps in the efforts made by TRC for the justice and reparation of survivors of conflict, she assured that the TRC is working closely with the provincial government and is preparing the plans and policies in this regard.

"There are 314 cases of sexual assaults out of over 64 thousand cases. As per the data, Achham district has the highest number of cases related to conflict and sexual violence. The cases of sexual violence have been on priority for TRC and the commission has prepared an Investigation Guideline that mandates gender-friendly provisions such as the compulsion of having a female staff when survivors come to file complaints and ensuring the privacy of the survivors while working with cases related to sexual violence during conflict," said Pokharel. 

Pokhrel also requested all the stakeholders including civil society organizations and survivors’ networks to collaborate and coordinate with TRC so that they can jointly solve the issues of conflict survivors.“TRC will take all the concerns expressed in today’s program into consideration and will work together with stakeholders to address the needs of the survivors,” said Pokharel.  

The program also featured a video that presents the real-life stories of survivors during the armed conflict. The reports were produced based on the conversation with the conflict survivors.