ABU DHABI // Nepal has stopped allowing its citizens to move abroad to work as domestic helpers since July after widespread complaints of exploitation and harassment, particularly in GCC countries.
On Thursday, Nepal’s envoy to the UAE clarified his government’s position, saying that although there was no official ban, no Nepalese was allowed to find work overseas in that capacity for the time being.
“The government has stopped sending housemaids until further notice. No housemaids visas will be approved from Kathmandu,” said ambassador Dhananjay Jha.
Nevertheless, it is believed that many Nepalese have moved abroad under false pretences. For instance, some were issued with a foreign visa to work as a cleaner by an employment agency before working as a housemaid.
“They must be coming illegally now, but we don’t have any record of that,” said Mr Jha. “They can’t fly from Nepal, so some slip into India and then fly to other countries.”
India shares a border with Nepal, and there is free movement into both countries by their citizens.
Mr Jha did not rule out errors on the part of housemaids, but he urged employers to avoid hiring Nepalese who were not physically or mentally fit.
At the Nepalese embassy’s safe house in Abu Dhabi, there are 10 Nepalese housemaids who have fled from their sponsors, according to Heera Devi Paudel, the embassy’s labour attache.
“The number remains the same around the year, as they keep going back [to Nepal] as their matters are resolved, and new maids come for assistance after fleeing from their sponsors,” she said.
One such maid is 40-year-old K Sonowar who sought help from the embassy after she was allegedly ill-treated for nine months by a family in the capital. “Madam and her sister who lived together used to abuse me. They shouted at me most of the time and didn’t allow me to eat freshly cooked food,” said Ms Sonowar. “They always gave me food from the previous day and never thought about how tired and overburdened I am from the work.”
Another woman in a similar situation, L Malla, 27, arrived four months ago after seeking employment through an agent. After suffering mistreatment by her employer, she too fled.
Ms Malla said her sponsor’s mother used abusive language and kept shouting at her. “My sponsor was a good person but his mother made my life hell,” she said.
She spent three months with an Arab family in Sharjah, and has since found shelter at the safe house for 34 days.
“These maids are exploited by false lucrative promises, and then fall into the clutches of these unscrupulous employment agents,” said Ms Paudel.
She blamed registered employment agents in the UAE for luring Nepalese women into the country with false promises of work as cleaners, saleswomen and security jobs, but later forced them to work as maids.
Ms Paudel also urged Nepalese women to use legal channels in coming to the UAE.
Mr Jha said the number of Nepalese women seeking shelter was higher in other GCC countries.
“Kuwait’s Nepalese mission sheltered about 250 maids who fled from their sponsors due to harassment, overwork and non-payment of their salaries,” he said.
Before Nepal’s ban in July, only women over the age of 30 were permitted to move abroad to become housemaids.
“Women who are above 30 are mostly married, having their own children back home. So when they handle children of the landlord they think about their own kids and become homesick,” said Mr Jha.
“Some maids have to stay at the embassy’s shelter for four to five months, and some leave for home in two weeks’ time, depending on their matter being resolved.”
anwar@thenational.ae