World Day for Decent Work Commemoration Opens Global Conference on Sports Campaign in Nepal

Participants of the BWI Global Conference on Sports Migration Nexus – World Cup 2018 and Winter Olympics 2018 Evaluation and Handover participated in the World Day for Decent Work (WDDW) commemoration organized by the BWI-Nepal Affiliates Committee (BWI—NAC) in Kathmandu, Nepal. More than 300 participants were present at the commemoration.

The BWI-NAC comprising of CUPPEC, CAWUN and ANCWU organised a public event to mark the WDDW. The national centers (GEFONT, NTUC, and ANTUF) of the BWI-NAC represented by their respective Presidents Binod Shrestha, Pushkar Acharya and Ganesh Regmi was also present.

Johan Lindholm, President of Byggnads congratulated the Nepalese unions on their successful struggle to bring about changes in the country stating, “Nepal has seen a number of pro-labour developments in recent months and this is due to the hard work of the BWI-NAC and their national centers.”

Wilma Roos, Policy Advisor for FNV spoke on the behalf of the international delegation. She also noted the positive legislative and policy changes in the country. Referring to the significant number of women at the event, she commented, “I am extremely pleased to see the active participation of Nepalese women workers in today’s commemoration which will only strengthen the trade union movement in the country.”

Following the public event, the BWI-NAC accompanied by 12-member international delegation met Dilip Kumar Chaulagain, Director General, Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Government of Nepal and submitted a Charter of Demands.

The 7-point Charter of Demands called for an increase in the number of offices that issue work permits; ensure zero recruitment fees; implement a strict ban on bad recruitment agencies; expedite existing dispute settlement process for migrants; engage trade unions as key partners for organizing training and orientation programs for migrants; strengthen collaboration for skills development of workers intending to migrate for work and retest returnee migrants; and ensure decent work for migrants to be included in Government negotiations of bilateral agreements with governments of destination countries.

In response to the trade union demands, the Director General Chaulagain assured the delegation that the government would consider the demands. He further stated that the Department is already under the process of increasing the number of offices that issue work permits in all seven provinces.

The BWI international delegation at the commemoration included representatives of trade unions from Finland, Ghana, Philippines, India, Kenya, Hong Kong, Russia, South Korea, and Sweden.