International Women’s Day: HOME calls for more protections for domestic workers
8 March 2020
International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
In Singapore, almost all of our approximately 255 000 migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are women. They support our households and allow both parents in many families to work, thus contributing to our nation’s overall economic success [1], as well as to the advancement of local women in the workplace.
However, despite their significant contributions, these MDWs do not enjoy the same labour rights and protections that are conferred to other workers in Singapore.
MDWs remain excluded from the Employment Act, which sets limits on working hours and prescribes formulas for overtime, rest days and provides minimum standards on notice periods, annual leave, paid sick and hospitalization leave. MDWs are instead covered under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, which offers a limited set of protections and entitlements. Presently, the EFMA requires employers to provide ‘acceptable’ accommodation, ‘adequate’ food, and ‘adequate’ rest. MDWs also represent the only class of the migrant labour force that are required to live in their employers’ homes.
The ambiguous language of EFMA provisions, together with the live-in situation of MDWs, has subjected their working conditions to negotiations between them and employers/employment agents. Many MDWs are thus exploited through actions that include deprivation of food and adequate rest, confiscation mobile phones, restrictions on freedom of movement, as well as sexual, physical, verbal and psychological abuse.
MDWs who are found to be pregnant through mandatory 6-monthly medical check-ups face repatriation and a ban from future employment in Singapore. Article 11 of the Convention of the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, to which Singapore is a party, prohibits dismissal on the grounds of pregnancy.
HOME reiterates its previous call to include MDWs under the Employment Act to ensure that basic labour rights for MDWs, such as working hours, sick leave, limits on overtime among others, are regulated. Existing legislation should be modified to provide clear standards on well-being. Discriminatory practices such as termination on grounds of pregnancy should be repealed. These measures will ensure the MDWs in Singapore are conferred similar protections as that given to other workers, and ensure that Singapore is in compliance with international standards for the treatment of women.
Today we celebrate MDWs and their contributiona to this nation. We wish all of our MDW friends a happy International Women’s Day.
[1] A report has found that MDWs have contributed SGD11.1 billion to the Singaporean economy in 2018: https://www.experian.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/190305_Experian-International-Women%E2%80%99s-DayCampaign_Report.pdf