Kathmandu, August 28
Stakeholders have expressed concerns over the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on forced labourers in Nepal who were already working under adverse conditions before the crisis.
In a virtual meeting hosted by Forced Labour Elimination Action Group and Swatantrata Abhiyan Nepal in a partnership with the Industry, Commerce, Labour, and Consumer Welfare Committee in the Federal Parliament on Thursday, the stakeholders demanded the government pay attention to the workers’ plight during this critical situation.
On the occasion, ILO National Project Coordinator Narayan Bhattarai informed there were around 32,000 people engaged in forced labour as per the government’s National Labour Force Survey, 2017/18. Likewise, Swatantrata Abhiyan Nepal Office In-charge Writu Bhatta Rai said the emergence of various forms of modern-day slavery was sad while the society was still fighting against traditional problems of forced labour.
Likewise, the parliamentary committee’s chair Bimal Shreevastav highlighted the need for further discussion on the issue to ensure the fundamental rights of the labourers.
