On August 11, 2025, Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) in collaboration with AWO International, successfully organized a consultative stakeholder workshop on its ongoing project, Migration Atlas of Nepal, at Shangri-La Blu Hotel, Lalitpur. This event brought together key technical stakeholders working on migration issues in Nepal to discuss and provide feedback on the proposed contents and structure of the Atlas. The workshop gathered relevant niche insights and avenues for further research based on the findings and key policy and situational challenges of the growing phenomenon of labor migration from Nepal.

The session began with a round of introductions, followed by opening remarks from Dr. Shikha Thapa Magar, Executive Director of NDRI. Mr. Surendra Gautam, Regional Director of AWO International, South Asia, provided the contextual overview, sharing the origin story of the Atlas, sparked by a casual “cup of tea” discussion and its potential to become a foundational resource for understanding migration patterns in Nepal. He emphasized the multifaceted nature of migration, highlighting its complexities, nuances, and the challenges inherent in studying such a dynamic phenomenon. The technical presentation of the draft Atlas was jointly delivered by the study coordinator Dr. Krishna Pahari and Research Associate Mr. Daya Shrestha, who guided participants through the structure and content of the Atlas. Participants appreciated the Atlas’ objectives, acknowledging the significance of this pioneering initiative.

The Atlas maps trends and patterns of key migration-related themes in Nepal through visual tools like charts, maps, and infographics. It highlights the intersections between labor migration, livelihoods, and food security using secondary data. The Atlas aims to strengthen Nepal’s understanding of migration as a coping and poverty-reduction strategy, inform policymaking, and pave the way for deeper studies on Nepal’s evolving migration landscape. A draft version of the Atlas was shared during the workshop. A wider national dissemination event is anticipated in the coming months for the final version of the Atlas.

Participants commended the current draft version of the Migration Atlas of Nepal for its richness, comprehensiveness, and multidimensional coverage of economic, social, and cultural aspects of migration, while offering constructive suggestions to enhance its analytical depth, clarity, and inclusivity. Recommendations included integrating relevant economic and migration theories within the push–pull framework, shifting the focus from climate- to disaster-induced migration, and clearly documenting data sources, technical details, and study limitations more transparently. Stakeholders emphasized the need to define key migration terms, incorporate historical context such as the Maoist conflict, and address the role of the informal sector, remittances, and psychosocial impacts. Several highlighted the importance of a gender lens, feminist perspectives, and recognition of women’s economic, social, and emotional contributions throughout the migration cycle. Suggestions also called for stronger partnerships with existing networks and government bodies, leveraging available data sources, improving communication and coordination, and avoiding duplication of research efforts.