HIV and Migration Country Profile 2009: Nepal

Nepal is one of the major source countries of migrant laborers, helping fulfill the demand in rapidly industrializing countries in Asia and the Gulf. Foreign employment provides an alternative livelihood for many young Nepalese. Top destination countries are India, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, South Korea and Bahrain. The high degree of economic hardship in the country is even leading young Nepalese to migrate to places, like Iraq, which are prohibited by the government for foreign employment. This is resulting in a rise in undocumented migrants ‐ a group that faces many vulnerabilities, including to their health.