The study seeks to deepen the understanding of the general working conditions of Nepalese domestic workers in Hong Kong SAR, highlight their experiences and vulnerabilities and formulate strategies and recommendations for improving the current situation. The recent policy of the Hong Kong government to ban Nepalese workers impacts the small population of Nepalese domestic workers. This research is intended to fill the gaps in available information and provide baseline data about the situation of Nepalese Domestic Workers in Hong Kong. It looks at the realities and vulnerabilities of Nepalese Domestic Workers in Hong Kong and the support systems currently available to them. There are estimated 20,000 Nepalese in HK today, of which about 700 are women in domestic work. Crucial to this study is how this number is refective of the restrictive policies of the Hong Kong government imposed on Nepalese migrants. Beginning 6 June 2005, HK’s Immigration Department ceased to accept
visa applications from Nepalese applying to work or study in Hong Kong. This visa ban is still in place and despite numerous demands for more explicit justifcation for its imposition, none has been given. Of the 158 Nepalese domestic workers (NDWs) who participated in the survey for this research, 81% cited the ban as the single biggest contributor to the deteriorating living and working conditions of Nepalese in HK. In addition, the respondents believe the ban has adversely affected the lives and livelihoods of their families back home.“Foreign employment has become the backbone of our economy,” according to Nepal’s Ministry of Labour and Transport Management in 2003. Over two million Nepalese have migrated in search of alternative livelihoods and escape endemic poverty and unemployment. Nepalese migrants have mainly worked in rapidly industrialising India, but also to East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. About five% of these two million migrants are women. Government statistics, however, are usually conservative estimates based on the number of documented migrants going through offcial channels and necessarily refect the breadth and scope of Nepalese labour migration.Labour migration is now perceived as the most important economic growth factor for Nepal in the next 10
to 15 years. As the numbers of Nepalese leaving the country increases each year, Nepal has also increased its reliance on remittances from migrant labourers to keep the economy afoat. An estimated remittance income of NR70 billion (approximately US$927 million) in remittances are poured into the economy by the migrant labour force annually.
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Publisher:
FEONA, UNDW, CMR, AMC, ADWA, MFA, UNIFEM
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(2009
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Type / Script:
Publication
in English
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Keywords:
NEPALESE DOMESTIC WORKERS, VISA BAN, WEAK MONITORING, RECRUITMENT, FGD, HUMAN RIGHTS, APPROPRIATE SKILLS, CONTRACT RIGHTS, LIVELIHOODS, LICENSE, PRE-DEPARTURE, ABUSE, GOVERNMENT STASTICS, SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC SECURITY, DISCRIMINATION, POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, LAW AND POLICY, REINTEGRATION, WORKING CONDITION, MIGRANT LABOURERS, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR MIGRATION, WOMEN AND MIGRATION, OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT, REMITTANCE INCOME, LABOUR FORCE, NEPALESE MIGRANTS, TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT, ROBUST ECONOMY
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Thematic Group: UNWOMEN
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Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
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Thesaurus:
12.06.00
- Special Categories Of Workers
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Reference Link:
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