Nepal, May 19 -- Foreign labour migration opened up in Nepal largely due to globalisation and economic liberalisation. It has increased severalfold in the past few years because of political instability, unemployment and lack of knowledge of alternative livelihoods. According to the Department of Foreign Employment, 3 million persons, among them 90,000 women, had migrated for foreign labour as of 2013. In fiscal 2015-16, remittance accounted for 32.1 percent of the gross domestic product; and according to the Nepal Living Standard Survey 2011, women were responsible for 11 percent of the total remittance inflow into the country.

Migrant women used to be seen as 'modern women' who had thrown off traditional patriarchal norms and behaviors...