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The number of women workers going abroad seeking jobs has risen significantly in the recent years. The Gulf states have become a major destination for women migrant workers of Nepal. However, a large number of them are leaving the nation without proper documentation and through various illegal channels with the help of agents.
As the women use alternative routes, their lack of official documentation has made it difficult to even know their exact number. Many of those migrant workers have suffered both physically and mentally and are abused and exploited. Some have even lost their lives abroad.
Amidst the increasing concerns over abuse and exploitation, the government has banned women under the age of 30 from working in various Gulf nations.
However, various human rights agencies are calling for a broader step from the government to ease the plight of those working abroad and to stop others from going illegally.
“I went to Kuwait with big dreams. I thought I will come back home with money to ease the overall financial situation of my family. But there, I worked as a house maid. I had to work continuously for 20 hours some days. If I wasn’t able to work continuously, I would be beaten up. I was also never paid,” said Radha Kumari, a female migrant worker who went Kuwait with big dreams.
Remittances make up a huge share in the Nepal’s overall economy. But, the cost of earning the remittances is not small.
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