Nepal-Malaysia

Research practice

Our research-practice in the Nepal-Malaysia corridor began by trying to understand how migrants currently use digital technologies, and so together with our colleague Anita Ghimire and her team at the Nepal Institute for Social and Environmental Research, we created a short online survey in Nepali (आप्रवासी र डिजिटल प्रविधिहरु – नेपाली) for migrants, returned migrants and their families to complete.  This was launched on 5th May 2020 and closed a year later.

The results of this survey, detailed below under outputs, have provided the basis for a workshop and sandpit that we will be holding at the Godavari Village Resort in Lalitpur from 12-14 September 2022.  We welcome all those interested in the theme of how digital tech can be used by migrants to reduce inequalities associated with migration to apply to participate in this event, and especially migrants, migrant oprganisations and local digital tech developers.  Details and application form (closing date 18th August 2022) are available below:

• Details of the workshop
• Application form

Our outputs

• Unwin, T., Ghimire, A., Yeoh, S-G., New, S.S., Kishna, S.S., Gois, W., Lorini, M.R. and Harindranath, G. (2021) Uses of digital technologies by Nepali migrants in Malaysia, Egham: UNESCO Chair in ICT4D, Royal Holloway, University of London, Working Papers No.1.
• Unwin, T., Ghimire, A., Yeoh, S-G., Lorini, M.R. and Harindranath, G. (2021) Uses of digital technologies by Nepali migrants and their families, Egham: UNESCO Chair in ICT4D, Royal Holloway, University of London, Working Papers No.2.

Resources

As part of our research, and in the interests of disseminating this as widely as possible, we are compiling a database of publications on the use of digital technologies by migrants, focusing particularly on South-South migration. This page provides a short introduction to this body of literature as it relates to our Nepal-Malaysia corridor, by featuring some of the most interesting work in the field. Not all of these publications explicitly address the use of digital technologies by migrants in this corridor, but they do provide valuable insights that have framed our understanding of the issues.  Inclusion in this listing does not, though, indicate that we or other members of the Hub agree with the arguments contained therein.

• Hassan, A., Juhdi, N. and Ali, S.A. (2019) Job quality, affective commitment and intention to migrate: a study of ICT employees in Malaysia, International Journal of Human Potentials Management, 1(1)
• ILO (2018) New digital service “SaverAsia” helps migrant workers save when sending money home, Geneva: ILO
• ILO (2019) Digitalization to promote decent work for migrant workers in ASEAN, Geneva: ILO.
• ILO (2019) Migrating in ASEAN with a mobile phone: gender gaps are not only in migrants’ salaries, but also in digital access, ILO Press release.
• SUARAM (2018) SUARAM Human Rights Report Overview 2018, Petaling Jaya: SUARAM
• Wahab, A. (2020) The outbreak of Covid-19 in Malaysia: pushing migrant workers at the margin, Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 2(1), 100073

Latest update 19th July 2022