Editorial
Rights of domestic workers
Enacting law to protect them imperative
Domestic workers, under the banner of Domestic Workers' Rights Network, staged a demonstration in the Capital on Tuesday. They called for framing a law to protect their rights with provisions to punish employers who would break that law.
With the expansion of urbanisation, the demand for domestic workers is increasing in society. Despite this increase, there has not been any improvement in the condition of domestic workers. They are still subject to various types of discrimination, exploitation and sometimes violence. Media reports of torture including sexual abuse of female domestic workers abound.
Recognising the need for enacting a law to this end, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of labour and employment had said at a dialogue in 2009 that he had made suggestions to the government for this. On that occasion, rights activists also urged the government to bring domestic workers, 80 per cent of whom are women, under the Labour Law, 2006.
The issues of domestic workers' rights and the violence and exploitation they are subject to have also been raised in the international labour rights forums. The ILO, last year adopted the Domestic Workers' Convention and Recommendation to impress upon governments worldwide to recognise the importance of the matter and take measures accordingly.
In Tuesday's demonstrations, side by side with their demand for legislative action against violence, they also pressed for considering their work as formal labour, determining a minimum wage and working hours and making employers accountable for torture and abuse of domestic workers. As noted, the government does also recognise the need for adopting necessary measures to end discrimination, injustices and exploitation of domestic workers.
Unfortunately, things are not moving as fast as they should towards enactment of the relevant law. We urge the government to stop further foot-dragging on the matter and go for the necessary legislation sooner rather than later.
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