The age bars imposed on women migrants have not served the purpose of protecting young women from facing exploitation, says a study on migrant women in Nepal.

 

The report entitled “No Easy Exit”, jointly published by the International Labour Organisation and the Global Alliance Against Women Trafficking, states that the age bar instead placed women at greater risk of abuse during the migration journey and gave them less control over their migration experience.

 

“The age bars were imposed on assumptions that 30 years and older women would be married with children and, therefore, be more competent to handle difficult situations but age does not necessarily makes a person mature,” said Bijaya Rai Shrestha, director at Pourakhi, an organisation working for migrant women.

 

Prior to 2010, all women’s migration to the Gulf countries for low skilled work was restricted. In August 2012, the government announced a new ban on women under the age of 30 from migrating to the Arab countries for domestic work.

 

Then in 2015, the government issued a new directive, reopening regular migration channels for women aged 24 years and older to work in certain destination countries in the Middle East and South-East Asia. Since 2009, Lebanon, Kuwait and the UAE have been the top three destinations for Nepali female migrant workers.

 

This is despite the age ban imposed on permits to workers aspiring to go to Gulf countries in 2012, and the complete ban in 2009 on those preparing to go to Lebanon. As per the study, closing or severely limiting regular migration channels for women workers to protect some from harm is a disproportionate response to the challenges women face and does not recognise the strong impetus for women to migrate.

The findings are based on 35 interviews with expert stakeholders from various sectors.