KATHMANDU: The Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal has said that the abolishment of the abusive Kafala system by the Qatari government is a big step towards protection of migrant workers.

On Monday, the Qatari Government passed a law to abolish the abusive Kafala system which prohibited migrant workers to leave or change jobs without the permission of the employer.

Qatar is one of the main destination for Nepali migrant workers and many of them have suffered under the Kafala system, it said.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is currently supporting stranded migrant workers in Qatar (as well as Saudi Arabia, UAE and Malaysia) with access to food, shelter, medical assistance and legal counseling in order to provide relief during COVID-19, it added.