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Hong Kong: Sign today to Stop all Abuses of Migrant Domestic Workers

Hong Kong: Sign today to Stop all Abuses of Migrant Domestic Workers

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by IDWFED published Feb 21, 2014 12:00 AM
Sign today to Stop all Abuses of Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, an Indonesian domestic worker working in Hong Kong was sent back to Indonesia on January 10, after working 8 months in Hong Kong. On arrival at the airport, she was found so badly injured that she was immediately hospitalized. Until today, she has been at hospital. Erwiana’s horrific abuse underlines the urgent need for the Hong Kong government to ensure thousands of migrant domestic workers do not suffer exploitation at the hands of recruitment agencies and their employers.
  • Hong Kong: Sign today to Stop all Abuses of Migrant Domestic Workers
  • 2014-02-21T00:00:00+00:00
  • 2014-02-21T23:59:59+00:00
  • Sign today to Stop all Abuses of Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, an Indonesian domestic worker working in Hong Kong was sent back to Indonesia on January 10, after working 8 months in Hong Kong. On arrival at the airport, she was found so badly injured that she was immediately hospitalized. Until today, she has been at hospital. Erwiana’s horrific abuse underlines the urgent need for the Hong Kong government to ensure thousands of migrant domestic workers do not suffer exploitation at the hands of recruitment agencies and their employers.
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HONG KONG -

Sign today to Stop all Abuses of Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong

Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, an Indonesian domestic worker working in Hong Kong was sent back to Indonesia on January 10, after working 8 months in Hong Kong.  On arrival at the airport, she was found so badly injured that she was immediately hospitalized.  Until today, she has been at hospital.  Erwiana’s horrific abuse underlines the urgent need for the Hong Kong government to ensure thousands of migrant domestic workers do not suffer exploitation at the hands of recruitment agencies and their employers. 

Surveys by the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (2012) and Mission for Migrant Workers (2013) and a report of the Amnesty International all demonstrate abuse suffered by migrant domestic workers is widespread and not limited to isolated incidents. Thousands of women spoke of excessive and illegal agency fees, underpayment, confiscation of passports, and physical, as well as psychological and sexual abuse.  Those who flee their employer, they must find another job within two-weeks or must leave Hong Kong. Those who file a complaint at the Labour Tribunal have to first find a shelter to accommodate them and be prepared to be jobless for months.

The IDWF, together with the Amnesty International, Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers believe that the people of Hong Kong will no longer tolerate the illegal acts of placement agencies and abusive employers.  Through an online petition launched, we are calling on Matthew Cheung, Secretary for Labour & Welfare of the Hong Kong government, to

  • Establish a robust, proactive body that monitors, investigates and punishes agencies that charge migrant domestic workers illegal fees, confiscate their passports and encourage underpayment of wages.
  • Introduce a government-run system for payment of recruitment fees and wages so that agencies and employers cannot underpay workers.
  • Establish a working group where government, workers and employers agree on recruitment fees, and work towards the international standard of “no fee to the employee”.
  • Allow employers and workers to decide on whether the worker will live-in or out.
  • Abolish the “Two-Week Rule” so that migrant domestic workers are equally under same immigration policy as other migrant workers.

So far, over 15,000 people have already signed.  But we need more, please sign to add to the strength!

Sign today to Stop all Abuses of Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong

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