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The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 21 hit Nepali migrant workers hard. Thousands working in India were blocked from crossing the border into Nepal. Others overseas were laid off and confined to living quarters with little or no food, no money, and no tickets home.
 
We recorded this episode in the midst of that dark period. While it describes the terrible conditions and uncertainty affecting migrants, it is at the same time a good primer on some of the core issues around migration and Nepal. With my guests Bijaya Rai Shrestha of the NGO AMKAS and academic Ramesh Sunam we touched on topics including:

• the ban on women migrating to work in Persian Gulf countries
• the impact of caste on decisions to migrate
• the ‘invisibility’ of Nepalis who migrate to work in India and
• the need for stronger policies from Nepal’s governments.

Unfortunately it seems like some of the optimism you’ll hear in this episode was unrealistic —little seems to have improved in the migration file in the past five years.

Resources

AMKAS

Ramesh Sunam

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Music by audionautix.com.

Thank you to PEI in Bakhundole for the use of their studios.

Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.