On the 9-10th September 2019, IOM organized a two-day training on the IRIS Standard at the Club Himalayas in Nagarkot, Nepal. 24 members of the National Association for Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) attended the introductory training for labor recruiters. NAFEA is the umbrella association of over 850 private recruitment agencies in Nepal. During the opening session, Ms. Lorena Lando, Chief of Mission of IOM Nepal, highlighted that “When it comes to international migration it is essential to work on ethical recruitment practices. It is also essential for national recruitment agencies, whatever the guidance provided, to push towards safe migration.”

Ms. Lando stressed the responsibilities of the employment agencies to ensure safe migration, and the role of IOM as Nepal is one of the countries that have adopted the Global Compact for Migration. “These are paramount role of recruitment agencies in order to ensure safer migration,” she said. “One of the major principles is fighting human trafficking and another one is the principle of partnership. Fighting together and working together to get the best result. This is again related with the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Ms. Lando.

The first Vice President of NAFEA, Mr. Ram Prasad Bhantana, underlined the importance of the training in his opening remarks. He stressed that the direct link between the migrant and the agency is paramount in practicing ethical recruitment, however the middle man increases that gap as well as the recruitment cost. He further highlighted that external factors such as policy discrepancies between the origin and host countries increases the need to conduct destination country exercises. 

“There should be exercise on destination country as well in order to incorporate ethical practice and minimize the sub-agents as well,” he said. 

The participants shared that the training program helped them understand international ethical recruitment practices. They stressed that IRIS Standard, which explains what ethical recruitment means in practice through seven core principles, should be introduced to suppliers and employers in destination countries.

The President of NAFEA, Mr. Rohan Gurung, said in the closing remarks that “The absence of similar policy in labor recruitment in South Asian countries creates unhealthy competition between the agencies, and consequently it becomes more challenging to adopt ethical recruitment or IRIS principle".

"IOM is responsible for safe migration. [They] have been working with recruitment agencies so that the rights and protection of migrants can be insured and prevent labor trafficking,” Mr. Gurung concluded. 

The IRIS training program is funded by the IOM Development Fund (IDF) and is part of the of the ongoing regional project "Enhancing Industry Capacity to Implement Ethical Recruitment Models in Viet Nam and Nepal to Protect Migrant Workers in South Korean Businesses' Supply Chains”. The project aims to strengthen the capacities of the government and business stakeholders in the Republic of Korea, Viet Nam and Nepal. This will transform private sector commitments into effective ethical recruitment schemes and multi-stakeholder action plans to reduce the risk of human trafficking and slavery.

For more information, please contact Ms. Lorena Lando, Chief of Mission | IOM Nepal at LLANDO@iom.int.