Marking International Migrants Day, Amnesty International Nepal will be launching a new audio series titled “A journey of thousand miles” which highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent government responses to it on Nepali migrant workers on 18 December (Friday).

The series comprise six episodes and is produced in collaboration with the Story Kitchen. Each episode tackles a different aspect of the migrant workers’ experience post the COVID-19 crisis and features interviews with migrant workers, government officials, migration reporters, and migrant rights activists.

“Even before the pandemic hit, Nepali migrant workers were one of the most vulnerable population groups, being subject to constant abuse, harassment, and exploitation at the hands of their employers and recruitment agencies. The COVID-19 pandemic and policies adopted by various governments in response to the health crisis only exacerbated their already volatile situation. Some were forced to go to work despite facing risks to exposure, others were denied access to basic services and thousands were left in the lurch due to the government’s last-minute decisions on banning travel across borders,” said Nirajan Thapaliya, Director of Amnesty International Nepal.

“This series is an attempt to shine a light on the stories of these individuals who have faced extraordinary challenges this year both at home and overseas. By inviting different stakeholders to the program, we’ve also sought to spark dialogue on policy solutions required to guarantee better protection of the rights of migrant workers and the state’s responsibility to ensure successful re-integration of many workers who have returned home this year.”

The first episode of the series will air tomorrow morning (18 December) across all seven provinces on 17 FM stations including Ujyalo FM, Radio Nuwakot, Radio Sindhu, Mita FM (Siraha), and Shuklaphanta FM (Kanchanpur). Episodes will also be available to stream online via Hamro Patro app and other podcasting platforms. A new episode will air every Friday and Saturday on respective stations.