"Nepali workers power the digital economy but remain unprotected", 28 May 2026

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…Nepali workers are increasingly present across the global platform economy as food delivery riders in the Gulf and logistics workers in expanding e-commerce systems. Yet…many remain trapped in exploitative conditions with few protections and almost no voice.

This year, governments, employers, and trade unions are gathering at the International Labour Conference...to negotiate…the world’s first international labour standards on platform work….

Platform exploitation…is increasingly tied to migration, subcontracting, recruitment debt, and outsourced digital labour systems that heavily affect workers from countries like [Nepal]

International standards must recognise that platform work is often hidden behind subcontracting chains. Lead platform companies cannot be allowed to escape accountability simply by outsourcing workers through labour suppliers or third-party contractors. Workers also need stronger protections against recruitment debt and migrant exploitation. No worker…should lose their rights because their employment is disguised through complex contracting arrangements…