Returnee Migrants-focused Assessment on Impacts of COVID-19 and Preparedness and Response Plans of Local Governments, Nepal

This rapid assessment on COVID-19 was conducted through phone interviews and covered 730 municipalities of all 77 districts. The census survey was carried out with the objective of obtaining baseline information on returnee migrants, along with the challenges they could face in the public health and socio-economic spheres following the pandemic. 

COVID-19 has had a major socio-economic effect on migrants. The survey found that 72,133 migrants belonging to 209 municipalities had requested assistance in returning to their respective municipalities. The individuals who had made such appeals had either lost their jobs or were on unpaid leave, and wanted to return home because of financial reasons or due to the COVID19-related stigma that they had been facing abroad.

Given the number of returnees, the social reintegration of the many internal and external migrants needs to be given serious thought. When the survey was performed, 23 per cent (164) of the municipalities did not have plans for reintegrating the returnee migrants. In contrast, 77 per cent (570) of the municipalities had some draft plans that also focused on reintegration of the migrants As the reintegration of migrants is a nationwide issue, national-level plans and policies are needed to address it effectively. In order to create employment opportunities, the local level requires assistance from the federal and provincial governments—as well as other organizations—especially in human resources (including trainings), the provision of soft loans, and agricultural and infrastructural development.

In conclusion, a major impact on the health and socio-economic aspects of the country has been observed following an unprecedented situation because of the pandemic. With a huge number of individuals returning back to their hometown, the possibility of transmission of COVID-19 into deeper pockets of country is imminent