Opinion | Nepal’s migrant workers: Data the new government can’t ignore
Summary
Nepal's new government faces a critical need to utilize health data of migrant workers for evidence-based policies to improve their safety and well-being, addressing risks faced abroad and on return.
Key Points
- Nepal issues nearly half a million labour permits annually, primarily to GCC countries and Malaysia, but faces significant migrant worker health challenges.
- More than 13,000 Nepali migrant workers have died abroad since 2008, with undocumented workers largely unaccounted for.
- Nepal collects extensive health data through pre-departure medical screenings but underuses this information for policymaking.
- Introducing health screenings upon return and better data integration could improve migrant well-being and inform health and migration policies.
