DOHA, QATAR: Four Nepalese girls have been rescued from Saudi Arabia and safely returned to Nepal.
These girls had fallen victim to human trafficking, as they were deceived by brokers who promised them work opportunities with a company in Kuwait. However, they were transported to Saudi Arabia through illegal means to be employed in domestic roles.
The Nepali Embassy in Riyadh revealed that these young women were rescued and provided refuge in the embassy shelter for a period of three months. This action was taken after receiving distressing information about their experiences of violence and mistreatment while engaged in domestic work within Saudi Arabia.
Initially, these individuals were sent to Kuwait via India without obtaining proper work permits from the government. Their initial work was in Kuwait for a few months, but later, they were taken to Saudi Arabia by local agents based in Kuwait.
The Embassy’s statement highlighted the appalling conditions these girls endured. They were coerced into working without any compensation for nearly seven years in Saudi Arabia. They faced a multitude of challenges including lack of pay, physical abuse when requesting wages, and enduring both physical and psychological torture.
Their daily work hours stretched to 18 hours, and they were denied their rightful pay. Instead of returning home with their earnings, they were subjected to beatings, inhumane treatment, and severe exploitation. Their ordeal became increasingly serious as they suffered prolonged mistreatment by moneylenders.
The Embassy provided shelter, food, and other necessary facilities for the four individuals over the course of three months. During this period, the Embassy collaborated with the Saudi Domestic Workers Office to facilitate their safe return to Nepal. This process involved obtaining exit visas for them.
Recently, with the assistance of Pravasi Nepali Manch Saudi, the Embassy successfully repatriated the four individuals to Nepal via Himalaya Airlines. The Embassy’s statement noted the increasing trend of illegal transportation of individuals for restricted employment in Gulf countries and emphasized that reliance on such agents must be avoided.
While Nepal does not authorize the sending of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and other Gulf countries, various agencies have been exploiting loopholes to send Nepali women to these regions through alternative routes such as Kuwait, India, Bangladesh, Dubai, and Sri Lanka.
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