Nepal and Qatar sign ten-point pact on migrant workers

The national human rights institutions of Nepal and Qatar have signed a ten-point agreement to promote and protect the rights of Nepalis working in Qatar.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairperson Anup Raj Sharma and Ali bin Samikh al-Marri, Chairperson of the Qatar's National Human Rights Committee, signed the agreement on Monday 16 November 2015 at a meeting in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

The Kathmandu Post reported that the four-year agreement provides for Nepali migrant workers and their relatives to lodge complaints with the National Human Rights Committee about problems they may face in the Gulf state.

"The NHRC wants a guarantee of human rights of the migrant workers as per the laws of Qatar. This agreement could be a milestone for the welfare of migrant workers," Sharma told the Kathmandu Post.

Addressing the meeting, which was attended by high level officials of Nepal and Qatar, al-Marri said that he would recommend his government ensure security and promote the human rights of all Nepali migrant workers.

Under the agreement, the two national human rights institutions will urge their respective governments to prevent labour exploitation, human trafficking and forced labour. They will also work together to raise awareness about human rights among Nepali migrant workers.

Date: 17 November 2015

Source: Kathmandu Post