Impacts of corruption on female migrant workers in Nepal

After 15 years of imprisonment in her employer’s home, Muna Giri was finally able to return home in Nepal on April 25, 2022 – at the age of 43, meeting her grandchildren for the first time. She received only a portion of the money that her former employers owe her. They gave about US$ 7,000 in total to her family. Her Lebanese employers owe her tens of thousands of dollars of unpaid salary. Her passport was confiscated and her mobility was restricted. On top of that, she had to work for over 16 hours every day, without holidays and extra remuneration.

• Seema Rai returned home from Kuwait after three years of work with barely any savings. According to her, the government’s current loan scheme for women has largely been a failure, as more than half of those who returned during the pandemic remain unemployed. Without the availability of gainful employment, many will likely choose to migrate again.