Women migrant workers
Many women from my country migrate to middle Eastern countries to work as domestic workers. They face different challenges there including sexual violence and physical abuse. These women usually come from rural areas and they don't have much modern education which increased their vulnerability to abuse. Some of them lost their lives, others sustained physical and psychological injuries and left without any remedy. What do you think should be done to help these women? What measures should the government take? Do your government has addressed this issue and took positive measures? Let's talk about it.
Women from my country have faced the same fate but government has not addressed these issues properly.
I agree with countries that have put a ban on the export of domestic workers,. This is simply modern day slavery. I have read several accounts of women who have been tortured to death or forced into prostitution. In Uganda, government suggested imposing a ban on the export of such labour until these Middle East countries officially write and commit to protecting them from this extreme abuse.
About 13 percent of the 1,700 Nepalese who migrate every day are women – may increase the risk they face of exploitation, physical and sexual abuse, forced labour and trafficking.Domestic workers account for an estimated 80 percent of the total number of women migrant workers.The majority are undocumented. It's unfortunate that government bans enforced to protect Nepali women migrant workers from exploitation and abuse have had the opposite impact.
About 13 percent of the 1,700 Nepalese who migrate every day are women – may increase the risk they face of exploitation, physical and sexual abuse, forced labour and trafficking.Domestic workers account for an estimated 80 percent of the total number of women migrant workers.The majority are undocumented. It's unfortunate that government bans enforced to protect Nepali women migrant workers from exploitation and abuse have had the opposite impact.
Nepali women too go for foreign employment as domestic workers. But, there are many cases where they have been trafficked to other countries in the guise of foreign employment. There are news published in the reputed dailies of the country that these women are often compelled to live life in virtual confinement because many a times their passports are taken away by the employers.
In my view the concerned States should legislate to protect their nationals working abroad.
They should enter into an agreement with the host governments so that they can implement these national legislation effectively
Above all, the workers must themselves be made aware of the situational risk of working abroad,so that the workers can better armor themselves to face the situation.
I think migration is a big issue that have affected many women around the world, this also happens in the Americas and other continents, but i think the issue is even bigger, these women migrating to different countries to work in many cases do not even have health care access, they face discrimination, racial violence and have even less rights than local women. We need to think here as well about the difference of educated women migrating to other countries and not educated women migrating to work. Governments need to work in their migration policies to ensure or at lest promote a safe environment for migrants, specially children and women. However is not just about the hosting country government is also about the policies that need to be work in our countries to promote better job opportunities for women, so they can see a future in their countries.
The government should issue legislation to protect these women (and men) from abuse. But more importantly these women should feel the support in order to be able to denunciate their abusers.
Laws might exist in some countries but the women feel ashamed and do not go to the police to speak about those abuses.
There is the need to target the countries where these abuses are more important. Then try to collaborate with the NGOs onsite in order to help those women and influence the government to change the legislation.
Recently Indonesian govt had imposed a ban on migration to 21 countries due to the growing incidents of abuse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umqvYhb3wf4
However, I don't think it will be much helpful. Much like prostitution which is illegal in many countries, migration to banned countries will simply continue as underground operations. What needs to be done is establishment of proper checks on the migrants lives in select countries (requiring them to report to the embassy or local office or monthly calls or some other such medium for monitoring), it would definitely increase pressure on human resources but I think it will be effective solution. Also, an integrated support system involving various stakeholders should be established to ensure proper rehabilitation of the victims.
There should be non profit organisations that assist migrant workers. Migrant workers still have rights regardless of their status they should be treated equally. The Government should also put measures in place that protect them. Before they are immigrants they are humans and have rights.