May 2023 Analysis: National Security and Climate Change
On 4th May, 2023; Department of Hydrology and Meteorology issued a monsoon forecast predicting the chances of below normal rainfall this year. Considering the change in weather and with the high risk of spread of water borne and air borne disease like Cholera and Measles, Government of Nepal has initiated the vaccination programs in different parts of the country. Likewise, Covid- 19 vaccination program continues in Nepal despite the World Health Organization declaring it as no longer public health emergency of international concern. Government of Nepal has also started checking the effectiveness of free-visa and free-ticket policy for Nepali Migrant workers by forming a task force on 11th May, 2023.
On 5th May, 2023; World Health Organization (WHO) has officially announced Covid- 19 as no longer the public health emergency of the international concern. Despite the announcement, the virus is still found to be circulating causing the risks toward children and other vulnerable communities like elderly people, pregnant women and also the frontline workers. As people are still being infected by the Covid virus and some still being treated in the hospital, Department of Health Services has planned to continue its vaccination programme against the Covid -19 until people are no more in need of it.
Besides Covid- 19 vaccination program, Ministry of Health and Population has also initiated vaccination program for the mitigation of cholera and measles. As the monsoon season is approaching, there is a high chance for the spread of water borne disease like Cholera. Hence, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has planned to provide vaccines to everyone above one year of age to prevent the spread of Cholera. Likewise, Ministry of Health and Population has also initiated to provide vaccine against measles to the children aged between 6 months to 15 years, as the infants in different districts has been in risk of it.
Under the national immunization programme by the government of Nepal, government has been providing 13 different kinds of vaccines against various diseases, under which vaccine against the measles is also included. For a country lacking proper health facilities and availabilities of good health care and hospitals, such initiation by the government is beneficial. Moreover, for the easy access to the vaccines, government has also provided the vaccines in every wards of the different districts. In order to make this initiation of the government more fruitful, first priority must be provided by the ward to children, pregnant mothers, elderly and those with existing health issues to prevent the spread of various diseases.
In its monsoon forecast, Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has predicted that there is the higher chances of below- normal rainfall this year. The statement published by the department also included that there is 35 to 55 percentage of chances for the below average rainfall and the above average maximum temperature respectively. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology also clarified that this weather condition might be the result of climatic pattern known as El Nino responsible for bringing out the dry weather.
Less production of crops, occurrence of forest fires and droughts, decrease in the quality of air are some of the major impacts brought up by the below average rainfall. As the temperature has started to rise, the forest areas have started to catch fire destroying the habitat of wildlife, and causing threat to the people living nearby. Likewise, for the country depending upon its agriculture, low rainfall is highly going to impact upon its crop production rates. And, lesser the production rate, higher the chances of importing the crops from its neighboring countries which ultimately is going to impact the economy of the country.
Hence to stabilize the country’s economy as well as to mitigate the risk of drought and forest fires, it is the high time for the Government of Nepal takes preventive and responsive action to tackle the impacts of climate change. While the effects of climate crisis cannot be reversed alone, the government can take measure to ease the lives of the people through mitigation measures and quick and effective response actions when crises like wildfires, floods, landslides and droughts strike.
The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has formed nine-member task force inorder to study the effectiveness of the free- visa, free ticket policy for Nepali Migrant workers. On July, 2015; seven labour receiving countries (Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman) were introduced a provision where they would bear the cost of visa processing and air tickets in order to hire the Nepali workers.
According to the 2015 provision, the migrant Nepali workers were only supposed to pay for their pre departure training and health checkup and contribute to their migrant worker’s welfare fund. Likewise, if the employers refused to bear the cost, the migrant workers were asked to pay Rs. 10,000 to the recruitment agencies as the service charge. Although the provision exists, huge number of migrant workers have complained that the provision has only remained on a paper. As, a result, Nepal Government has formed a task force to look upon the problem and systematically find a solution.
Hence, the cross checking and reviewing of the foreign employment policies will help to address the problem of the migrant workers and provide them the fair treatment in their working areas. Likewise, it will also help to analyze the lacking point of the country to establish worker – friendly schemes.
Timeline of Major Events
Date | Events |
May 4 | Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology issued higher chance of below normal rainfall for its monsoon forecast. |
May 5 | World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid as no longer public health emergency of International Concern. |
May 11 | Government of Nepal has begun studying the effectiveness of free- visa, free- ticket policy for Nepali Migrant workers |
Government’s initiation towards various vaccination programs
On 5th May, 2023; World Health Organization (WHO) has officially announced Covid- 19 as no longer the public health emergency of the international concern. Despite the announcement, the virus is still found to be circulating causing the risks toward children and other vulnerable communities like elderly people, pregnant women and also the frontline workers. As people are still being infected by the Covid virus and some still being treated in the hospital, Department of Health Services has planned to continue its vaccination programme against the Covid -19 until people are no more in need of it.
Besides Covid- 19 vaccination program, Ministry of Health and Population has also initiated vaccination program for the mitigation of cholera and measles. As the monsoon season is approaching, there is a high chance for the spread of water borne disease like Cholera. Hence, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has planned to provide vaccines to everyone above one year of age to prevent the spread of Cholera. Likewise, Ministry of Health and Population has also initiated to provide vaccine against measles to the children aged between 6 months to 15 years, as the infants in different districts has been in risk of it.
Under the national immunization programme by the government of Nepal, government has been providing 13 different kinds of vaccines against various diseases, under which vaccine against the measles is also included. For a country lacking proper health facilities and availabilities of good health care and hospitals, such initiation by the government is beneficial. Moreover, for the easy access to the vaccines, government has also provided the vaccines in every wards of the different districts. In order to make this initiation of the government more fruitful, first priority must be provided by the ward to children, pregnant mothers, elderly and those with existing health issues to prevent the spread of various diseases.
Life of people is getting affected due to low rainfall
In its monsoon forecast, Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has predicted that there is the higher chances of below- normal rainfall this year. The statement published by the department also included that there is 35 to 55 percentage of chances for the below average rainfall and the above average maximum temperature respectively. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology also clarified that this weather condition might be the result of climatic pattern known as El Nino responsible for bringing out the dry weather.
Less production of crops, occurrence of forest fires and droughts, decrease in the quality of air are some of the major impacts brought up by the below average rainfall. As the temperature has started to rise, the forest areas have started to catch fire destroying the habitat of wildlife, and causing threat to the people living nearby. Likewise, for the country depending upon its agriculture, low rainfall is highly going to impact upon its crop production rates. And, lesser the production rate, higher the chances of importing the crops from its neighboring countries which ultimately is going to impact the economy of the country.
Hence to stabilize the country’s economy as well as to mitigate the risk of drought and forest fires, it is the high time for the Government of Nepal takes preventive and responsive action to tackle the impacts of climate change. While the effects of climate crisis cannot be reversed alone, the government can take measure to ease the lives of the people through mitigation measures and quick and effective response actions when crises like wildfires, floods, landslides and droughts strike.
Foreign Employment policies to be reviewed
The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has formed nine-member task force inorder to study the effectiveness of the free- visa, free ticket policy for Nepali Migrant workers. On July, 2015; seven labour receiving countries (Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman) were introduced a provision where they would bear the cost of visa processing and air tickets in order to hire the Nepali workers.
According to the 2015 provision, the migrant Nepali workers were only supposed to pay for their pre departure training and health checkup and contribute to their migrant worker’s welfare fund. Likewise, if the employers refused to bear the cost, the migrant workers were asked to pay Rs. 10,000 to the recruitment agencies as the service charge. Although the provision exists, huge number of migrant workers have complained that the provision has only remained on a paper. As, a result, Nepal Government has formed a task force to look upon the problem and systematically find a solution.
Hence, the cross checking and reviewing of the foreign employment policies will help to address the problem of the migrant workers and provide them the fair treatment in their working areas. Likewise, it will also help to analyze the lacking point of the country to establish worker – friendly schemes.
CESIF Nepal