TWC2 Newsletter May-Jun 2011
Content
Volume 6
Number 3
May - June 2011
Fundraising
Editorial th
The nation just completed its 14 General Elections. Among the ‘hot button’ issues that the political parties addressed, migrant worker themes occupied a fair amount of space in the hustings. Singapore is today home to 871,000 work permit holders and almost 90,000 S-Pass holders. They have made, and continue to make, a significant contribution to our economic growth and to Singapore’s reputation as a “city that works”. Whether as domestic workers who care for our children and elderly parents, thus allowing both parents to go out to work; as construction workers creating the vast numbers of buildings which buoy our real estate industry; cleaners in our food courts and housing estates, maritime workers who support our fishing and port activity; or as technically qualified people, non-Singaporeans make up a third of our workforce. It may rightly be argued that their contribution to our GDP is far higher, given their largely unrepresentative wages. But as a First World city, the wages and conditions of migrant workers have not kept pace with international standards, much less with inflation or proportionately to the wages of the nation as a whole. This year has seen several key initiatives in the migrant worker activist community. TWC2 began the year at the tail end of our campaign for the ratification of the Migrant Worker Convention. Early in 2011, we made a submission during the Employment Agencies Act amendment process and immediately began working on a similar submission for the amendment process for the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, the statute which, with the work permit conditions issued under it, governs the working conditions of migrant workers, particularly domestic workers, who are not included in the coverage of the Employment Act. This will be submitted soon, although it has not been announced when the fourteenth Parliament will sit. In the last few weeks, the International Labour Conference voted in favour of a Domestic Workers’ Convention. We participated in a preconference in Singapore, arranged by Migrant Forum Asia, and sent 2 members of TWC2 to the Conference. Although there was jubilation all round on the floor of the conference when the convention was voted, regrettably, Singapore abstained from the vote. We missed a chance to place ourselves in the forefront of enlightened nations.
TWC2 began the year in a less than totally secure financial position. Our increased range of services and projects, together with changed funding priorities of the grant-making foundations, is causing a rethink across the organisation. Among our ideas for a more diverse funding portfolio, we are examining paid events including a corporate dinner, speaking events, more focussed, project-based applications to foundations, tapping into CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives, regular GIRO payments, and marketing in the local media. To coordinate all our fundraising activities, we have convened a Fundraising Subcommittee, reporting to the Exco. The Subcommittee will meet for the first time on Mon 4 July at 7.30pm at the office. Please do come along if you would like to get involved.
In this issue… Reflections on GE2011
However, this should not be taken as a major setback. That we abstained rather than voted against is a sign of the government’s recogn ition that the issue is not one against which we can take an opposing stand anymore; and that Singapore’s international standing and obligations are creating the pressure for change.
Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers
Shortly after the conference, Halimah Yacob, government MP and chair of the Workers’ Group at the ILO, openly called for the government to consider a mandatory day off for domestic workers.
Launch of the Day Off research
TWC2, in collaboration with two other NGOs, published a piece of research on attitudes to a day off. Our work in the coming period will address both the implications of this research as well as the wider field of migrant rights in Singapore, issues that the government will struggle to continue to ignore. ▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
Trafficking in Persons Report 2011
TWC2’s renewed Organisational Blueprint
Feature article by Cherry Hmung: A Day-off Too Late - A eulogy for Miss Cawi Nei Mawi
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Migrant Workers and the GE2011 by Stephanie Chok
As a Singaporean and first-time voter, the recent General Elections was an intense period. I cheered and jeered, was glued to the news (both mainstream and alternative) and took my vote seriously. It was hailed as a ‘watershed’ election and certainly felt like it. There was, at the same time, a gnawing discomfort over how a particular issue played out during the hustings, namely, our ‘immigration policy’. A ‘hot button’ issue for GE 2011, the discontent many Singaporeans felt over the ‘the influx of foreigners’ was addressed by allare political parties. TheAt ruling Action Party sought to placate Singaporeans that, astalent citizens, their interests not secondary. the People’s same time, they emphasized the importance of foreign to Singapore’s economic competitiveness; at the other end of the economic ladder, they stressed the transience of low-wage foreign workers and their necessity to ‘do the jobs Singaporeans don’t want to do’. Without foreigners, went their rhetoric, Singaporeans will lose out – in foreign investments and in the creation of more jobs, which benefits Singaporeans.
With regards to the opposition parties, there seemed to be a disclaimer of ‘we’re not anti-foreigner but…’. The general thrust is a Singaporeans-first (rather than a foreigners-out) policy. In the heat of the hustings though, there were moments when rally speeches by certain members of some opposition parties seemed to veer towards the latter. Online, there was much buzz over the government opening the ‘floodgates’ and many Singaporeans were vocal in their anger over problems perceived to be the direct result of a lax immigration policy – overcrowding on public transport; a housing squeeze and skyrocketing property prices; increased competition for jobs as well as for healthcare services and educational facilities; the depression of wages and deteriorating working conditions.
One expatriate wrote a letter to a local paper, expressing how he was starting to feel alienated by the anger expressed by Singaporeans during the General Elections and pointed out the contributions foreigners like him made to Singapore. This sparked off more debate – with some people saying this expatriate does not understand the root of Singaporeans’ anger; others objecting to the portrayal of Singaporeans as xenophobic (some pointing to our historical reliance on immigrants as evidence). In the meantime, a Facebook group, Against Xenophobia and Hate in Singaporean Politics, was started. Elections are over now – though this hardly means the issues raised have been adequately addressed or that resentments have died down along with election fever. But how does one go about addressing an iss ue as complex, polarized and inflamed as ‘immigration policy’? Let’s start with examining the term ‘foreigners’. Singapore’s ‘foreigner’ population is incredibly diverse – exactly who are we blaming/defending, for what, and why? Besides newly-minted citizens, there are Permanent Residents, some of whom are long-time PRs, either by choice or because their citizenship applications are routinely turned down.
Then, there is the ‘foreign workforce’ of approximately 1.1 million. This includes the ‘foreign talents’ on Employment Passes, the mid-level employees on S-Passes, and the lower-income ‘foreign workers’ on R -Pass Work Permits – for example, construction workers from China and India, shipyard workers from Bangladesh, domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines, cleaners and service sector workers from China. Each category of passes comes with attendant privileges and restrictions – Employment Pass holders may apply for PR and, depending on their salaries, may qualify for Dependent’s Passes and Long -Term Social Visit Passes. For S-Pass holders, it often depends on their salary and qualifications. Work Permit holders are not eligible to apply for PR, cannot bring in dependents, are not allowed to marry Singaporeans without permission and, if female, are to be repatriated if found pregnant. The Ministry of Manpower also issues passes for foreign entrepreneurs, as well as Training Employment Passes and Training Work Permits, amongst others. We also have a significant population of foreign students, from various backgrounds – those whose parents are expatriates and attend exclusive international schools; scholarship holders in our universities; and those from countries in the region (e.g. Vietnam, Myanmar, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India) who often pay agency fees and enrol in lesser-known private schools and are sometimes vulnerable to exploitation. They also form part of our low-wage labour market (with varying degrees of legality/illegality). Singaporeans and politicians alike – whichever party they are from – need to understand that different policies govern different categories of foreigners under our carefully calibrated and tiered immigration and work
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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…cont’d pass system. To lash out or make blanket accusations that ‘foreigners’ are the cause of a whole mixed bag of problems is to contribute to angry noise without distinguishing cause and effect. At the same time, to say things like ‘foreigners’ help create jobs and that without them our economy will self-destruct does little to placate the grassroots impact felt by Singaporeans who have been displaced and who have spent many of their productive years contributing to this country’s stellar economic growth. The state’s reluctance to divu lge statistics with clear local / foreigner breakdowns (for example, regarding job creation) also does little to quell locals’ suspicions that they are not really benefiting as much as they are told.
Foreigners who are living and working here and who are in a relatively privileged position – or at least perceived to be so – need to also understand that the groundswell of resentment is the result of feeling ‘ignored’ for many years. As employees, Singaporeans often feel overworked, underpaid and undervalued; as citizens, we have also been told we need ‘spurs in our sides’ so that we can survive in a highly-competitive global marketplace. Rising income inequalities do little to convince the average Singaporean that equitable pay-offs have resulted from their obedience and hard work. Exponential increases in our population – both resident and non-resident – have had their negative impacts, and policy-makers must take heed. My key concern, however, is how the whole ‘foreigner issue’ has been framed and if local resentment has been manipulated in a way that is unhelpful for promoting social justice (for all workers). Some of the accusations may also have been misdirected, due to inadequate acknowledgement of just how broad the ‘foreigner’ category in Singapore is. I also wonder if we realize how deeply entangled our displeasure at our diminishing quality of life is with other government policies – not just policies that affect housing and transport, but also access to information and our rights as employees to a dignified wage, fair working conditions and protection from sudden and unfair dismissal. What else should we be asking of our government other than a reduction in the number of foreigners? Will having less foreigners in our country necessarily restore to us the democratic rights some feel we have lost over the years?
As a TWC2 volunteer, I have encountered comments such as, ‘‘Why are you speaking out for foreign workers when locals are suffering?’ The underlying sentiment appears to be that I am unpatriotic, demonstrating more concern for ‘outsiders’ than my ‘own kind’. I believe these comments are misplaced. The belief that people should be treated with respect and dignity is not mutually exclusive to persons of a particular nationality. The commitment to social justice and advocacy for better labour protections is not limited to any particular category of workers – all workers, regardless of race, gender, age, class or nationality, should be able to experience an employment reality marked by fairness and respect.
Another award for Cuff Road Coordinator Debbie Fordyce, Exco member and Cuff Road Coordinator, was recently given an award for her work at Cuff Road. The citation of the award, which TWC2 fully shares, reads:
“Ms Debbie Fordyce is a highly valued and appreciated volunteer with Transient Workers Count Too. For the past three years, she has shown great dedication to The Cuff Road
Project. projecttowas March 2008 in This response the launched needs ofinmigrant workers present in Singapore on special passes, who had no regular income and frequently went hungry and shelterless. It provides free meals to such workers. “Ms Fordyce’s contributions to the work of the project not only involve handling many volunteer shifts – the most visible part of her work. She was one of the volunteers who looked for restaurant owners who would be willing and able to co-operate with TWC2 and ONE-Singapore in providing food. She has also had many discussions with potential partners and donors to the project to enlist their support at the same time as ensuring that it would always be provided in a manner respectful of the workers’ needs and personal dignity. “She talks with workers who come to the project and is a sympathetic listener to the problems they often raise. Ms Fordyce has frequently helped individual workers in need of medical attention or other urgent support to secure what they needed. She carefully maintains statistical information for the programme and frequently handles media enquiries. “Ms Fordyce was born in the USA. She first came to Singapore in 1975, as a student, and in 1980, she came to live here. She joined TWC2 in 2005 and has played an active role in the society ever since, including taking part in discussions, speaking at schools on several occasions, running information stands and integrating volunteers. “The Rotary Club is proud to announce her as recipient of the Good Samaritan Award for 2011.”
It is my hope that, as our political scene matures, so too will our debates on controversial issues such as labour migration. As we demand greater consideration from our leaders, may we also direct a shift towards a brand of politics that is encompassing yet compassionate, one that recognizes the indivisibility of rights alongside bread-and-butter needs. Stephanie Chok is a longtime activist in the migrant worker field and a researcher on migration issues. She is currently completing her doctoral work in Perth, Western Australia. ▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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Bullying, verbal abuse and food deprivation: Medieval phenomena in 21 century Singapore A TWC2 Helpdesk update update Indonesian domestic worker, Dee Dee (not her real name) called the TWC Helpline on 18 May 2011. Dee Dee is a first timer in Singapore; she worked in Hong Kong and Taiwan previously. Dee Dee told us that she has worked with the employer for about three weeks. The family lives in private housing around the Holland area. Since starting employment with the family, she has been verbally abused by the employer employer almost every day. In phone and SMS conversations with us, Dee Dee told us that she felt she was treated like an animal. She was given minimal food each day. She also believed that her employer had been previously blacklisted from employing domestic workers as they had changed numerous domestic workers in the past. In her last SMS on 18 May, she told us that she wan ted to leave the employer’s home. She wanted us to help her. We advised her of the consequences of running away and the possible long waiting time for her case to be resolved. Despite all that, Dee Dee was determined to run away: from arriving as an enthusiastic newcomer to our shores, suddenly she was a fugitive from her own life. She could not take it anymore, the emotional stress of experiencing an absence of human regard, respect and dignity, had taken its toll in just three weeks. She wanted to run away. The next day, 19 May 2011, we wait for Dee Dee’s call to find out where she was at in her plans. She tells us that she has packed her luggage and kept it under the bed. She is ready to run away once her employer is out of the house. Her employer stayed indoors most of the day and running away would be a challenge. Before the day ended, we call Dee Dee again and she tells us that she would stay another day. Through her conversation with us, it is clear that Dee Dee is aware of what she is doing and ready to report the case to the authorities.
She wanted to run away. On 20 May, Dee Dee called us and told us that she will be able to leave today. She will contact us once she is out from the employer’s place. We advised her that once she is out from her employer’s house, she should hop into a cab immediately and ask the driver to send her to TWC2 office. We SMS’d her the address in case she lost the handwritten one. Unfortunately, we did not receive any reply from her and this was worrying. At around 3pm, we received a call from Dee Dee telling us she had failed her first attempt to leave the house. Shortly after lunch, she saw her employer leaving the house. She put her luggage in a trash bag as a camouflage. But within a short while, her employer turned back and spotted her holding the trash bag. They asked her what was inside and Dee Dee told them that she was throwing the trash out. An hour later, Dee Dee called and told us that she has escaped from her employer’s house and trying to get a cab. As her employer’s place is not located near the main road, she was unable to get a cab. We told her to walk as far as possible and find a prominent landmark to where we could send a cab to fetch her.
At the office, we called the different cab companies while I tried to reassure her. Before we could book a cab, Dee Dee told me that she spotted a cab and then I heard a bang and, “Uncle, Golden Mile Complex, please.” As the cab pulled into the taxi stand of our building, I went over and paid the fare. I took her luggage and told her that I am glad her and Mansura is waiting for her in the office. Later in the evening, we took her to a shelter run by another NGO. Beforehand, our Admin Officer, from her own pocket, took her for a sumptuous dinner at an Indonesian restaurant. The next day, Dee Dee dropped me a text. It read, “good evening sir, I really thank you so much for your kind and your help, thank you so much I pray god bless you, you happy and sucses (success). Sorry my English so bad”. With one simple gesture of support and kindness, Dee Dee was human again. Dignified and gracious, she thanked us for our help. For us, we had done nothing except what every Singaporean should do: to treat with compassion and respect the women who come from far to keep our homes and care for our families. Dee Dee left Singapore safely on 31 May 2011. But the resources expended to come here - hard-earned money that she can little afford - is now gone for good. And she is worried about the loan she took up with wit h the agent in Singapore. She is worried worr ied that the Indonesian agent, who works closely with the Singapore agent, will catch her at the airport and send her to Batam to work as a prostitute to pay off the loan. On 12 June, when John Gee emailed us from Geneva to say that the Domestic Workers’ Convention had been voted in, we were happy. This is the first step to dignifying and making safe domestic work in Singapore so that when Dee Dee comes back, she will not have to flee from her boss anymore.
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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Singapore falls short of its Article 12 commitment: The Domestic Workers’ Convention in Focus In March 2008, the International Labour Organisation decided to develop a Convention to secure the rights of Domestic Workers, many of whom are migrant women which are estimated at above 100,000,000 worldwide, making them one of the largest unprotected groups of workers. Millions of domestic workers are denied key labour protections which seek to prevent abuses such as excessive working hours of work, low wages, and inadequate protection from sexual harassment and physical assault. ILO and other research have concluded that one of the main causes is the lack (or total absence, in some countries) of labour legislation and, consequently, labour inspection, trade unions, and regulation of employers. The ILO Governing Body approved the proposal in March 2008 that the ILO should place the item of promoting decent work for domestic workers on the agenda of the International Labour Conference in 2010 with a view to developing instruments, possibly in the form of a Convention together with Recommendations. On 17 June 2011, the Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers was approved by the vote of 396 members including states members, employers’ groups and employee representatives to 16 nays and 63 abste ntions. Singapore abstained. TWC2 regrets that the Singapore representative did not send a strong message of support for decent legal protections for foreign domestic workers by voting in favour of the convention. By abstaining, it has forgotten Article 12(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore which says, “All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal pr otection of the law.” Note the A rticle does not say “All citizens”, but “All persons”. Singapore is a state member of the ILO. Madam Halimah Yacob, MP, Deputy Secretary-General of the NTUC, and recently appointed Minister of State at the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, was appointed Chairperson of the Employees’ representative group at the ILO in 2010. Despi te the vote, she is on record as being strongly in favour of a convention. At the ILO conference in 2010, Madam Halimah said, “ The fact tthat hat domestic workers ssuffer uffer from poor working conditions and that their isolation makes it difficult for trade unions to reach out and organise them to improve their working conditions, make it a strong case for an international convention. A convention can be used by governments as a s a reference point to improve their legal environment through labour legislation that will enable domestic workers workers to benefit from the full range of protections and rights rel related ated to decent work. ”
TWC2 was set up in 2003 by a group of concerned citizens to campaign for better conditions for migrant workers following a horrific case of abuse where a 19 year-old Indonesian domestic worker was assaulted so badly by her employer that she died of her wounds. We continue to provide emotional and legal support to domestic workers as well as to male migrants who work in the construction, manufacturing, maritime and services sectors. Singapore is host to almost 200,000 migrant domestic workers. Abuse of domestic workers is an ongoing phenomenon. While significant improvements have been made, workers are subject to being locked in; working hours of up to 16 hours per day; no day off; being prevented from keeping contact with their families back home; and given very poor food and accommodation. The migrant worker activist community welcomes the convention which sets down improved employment terms for domestic work such as a weekly day off, specified daily rest periods, maximum work hours, mechanism for calculating overtime work and pay, annual paid leave, sick leave, transparency in terms of payment of salaries and deductions, and access to occupational work safety and health, all of which are available to other workers. Our recent research reports have shown that Singapore still falls considerably short in meeting some of these requirements: for example, a significant number of domestic workers in Singapore still do not have a weekly day off despite clocking in double the number of weekly work hours as the average worker. We call on the Singapore government to ratify the convention speedily and bring domestic workers under the protection of the Employment Act 1968 rather than the weaker Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990, and move more forcefully towards meeting the prescribed targets through monitoring by an oversight committee. We also recognise that more intensive public education is needed to get our society to move in tandem with such state initiatives. In 1968, the government refused to protect domestic workers by bringing them under the Employment Act. It is likely that the government will amend the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 this year. The convention presents an opportune time to revisit the whole employment law, to ensure there is one standard set of laws protecting all workers in Singapore. Singapore’s reputation as an attractive labour destination may well be come tarnished if its legislative protections for domestic workers continue to lag behind international best practice. As a nation that depends of a steady inflow of overseas workers to support its economic progress, it cannot afford to tarry too long.
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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Trafficking in Persons Report 2011 The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is the US Government’s principal diplomatic tool to engage governments on human trafficking. It is also the world’s most comprehensive resource of governmental anti-human trafficking efforts. It represents an updated, global look at the nature and scope of trafficking in persons and the broad range of government actions to confront and eliminate it. The US Government uses the TIP Report to engage governments to advance anti-trafficking reforms and to combat trafficking, and to target resources on prevention, protection and prosecution programs. Worldwide, the report is used by international organizations, governments, and nongovernmental organizations as a tool to examine where resources are most needed. Freeing victims, preventing trafficking, and bringing traffickers to justice are the th ultimate goals of the report. This year sees the publication of the 11 report. See report. See http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2011/index.htm http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2011/index.htm.. The report provides a sober and comprehensive overview of trafficking and trafficking-like conditions in Singapore. Although Singapore has been upgraded from the ‘watch list’, it would be a mistake to read this as a sign that all is well. It is an acknowledgement of efforts made to improve anti-trafficking initiatives, but the contents of the report indicate that there remains a lot to be concerned about. about. TWC2 has argued strongly that without a working definition of trafficking that corresponds with that contained in the 2000 AntiTrafficking Protocol (the ‘Palermo Definition’ , see box at right), Singapore leaves itself inadequately equipped to combat trafficking effectively and to assist the victims of trafficking. The TIP report recognises this problem and encourages Singapore to sign up to the protocol. If anything, TWC2 would put even more emphasis on this point. Without this legislative step forward it is hard to see how a more victim-centred approach can be developed in dealing with migrants working in a variety of illegal and exploitative conditions. conditions. The reference to trafficked fishermen highlights an issue that has come to prominence in the past year; this is welcome. There needs to be a more proactive response. It may be that the authorities were caught on the wrong foot by the first cases, but we hope for more decisive action in the future to penalise anyone involved in the recruitment, confinement and exploitation of the fishermen and to extend all assistance possible to the victims. Regional cooperation to stamp out this problem should be pursued as a matter of urgency. (Alex Au, TWC2 Treasurer, writing in his blog, yawningbread.wordpress.com, has documented one of several such cases that emerged in the 2010-2011 period involving fishermen, http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/ where-fish-comefrom-labour-laws-dont-go/..) from-labour-laws-dont-go/ We consider it justified to refer to the conditions of employment faced by domestic workers who have no freedom of movement or time off or who are prisoners of debt in the TIP report. This has been mentioned before and it will no doubt continue to be
a) The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs; (b) The consent of a victim of trafficking in persons to the intended exploitation set forth in subparagraph (a) of this article shall be irrelevant where any of the means set forth in subparagraph (a) have been used; (c) The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation shall be considered “trafficking in persons” even if this does not involve any of the means set forth in subparagraph (a) of this article; (d) “Child” shall mean any person under eighteen years of age.
raised untilWork decisive are made. The passing offitting the Convention on Decent for changes Domestic Workers suggests one initiative: to work to bring Singapore into compliance with the convention and to be one of its early ratifiers.
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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NGOs Launch Research Report on a Day Off for Domestic Workers Made to Work: Attitudes towards Granting Regular Days off to Migrant Domestic Workers A weekly day off is an internationally recognised right for workers and has long been established as an employment norm. Singapore however, a nation which employs approximately 200,000 foreign domestic workers (FDW), continues to stand apart by the absence of a regular legislated day off for fo r FDWs. FDWs. The legal framework covering FDWs has improved significantly in the city-state since the mid-1980s when, as part of an economic policy dubbed the Second Industrial Revolution, the government liberalised its immigration policies to admit more FDWs. This was to to facilitate and raise the participation of local women in the workforce. The government government has preferred preferred a social educational approach together with incremental adjustments to employment legislation which have noticeably improved protections for FDWs. However, a weekly day off for FDWs remains an optional benefit dependent on the goodwill of employers rather than a legal right. right. In the wake of evidence that FDWs work an average of 14 hours a day with many putting in even longer days, the question of a regular day off should not be left to the vagaries vagaries of the market. TWC2 collaborated with the National Committee for UN Women, Singapore (formerly UNIFEM Singapore), and Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) on a quantitative study on employers’ attitudes towa rds giving their FDW a day off. off. The 70-page research paper, available in the Library section of our website, funded by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) titled Made to Work: Attitudes towards Granting Regular Days off to Migrant Domestic Workers,, forms part of a wider ‘Day Off’ educational campaign launched by the NGOs in 2008 to encourage Workers employers to give their FDW a regular day off and calls for legislative backing by government for this. this. “Since our respective inception, we have been campaigning for mandatory days off for domestic workers. The purpose of the research was to take stock of our efforts and calibrate where employers are in terms of current practice, as well as better understand the attitudes towards a day off of the general public who do not currently employ an FDW,” said a HOME spokesperson and member of the research team. team. The report notes that there is relatively little public data on the working conditions of migrant domestic workers and virtually no information on the attitudes of non-employers on their views on the working conditions for FDWs including such issues as a day off for migrant workers. This report, report, therefore, helps to fill these data gaps. The other distinguishing feature of this research is that it surveyed a representative random sample of Singapore households. In all, valid survey responses were collected from 582 households. households. Key findings of the research note that while FDWs work an average of 14 hours per day, only 12% have at least one day off per week. Employers who give their FDW a day off tend to couch it in terms of employment rights while those who do not give their FDW a day off express the fear that the FDW may fall into bad company. company. Among other issues surveyed (and the report varied rather more widely than focussing purely on the day off), over 70% of the respondents who do not employ a FDW shared the view that FDWs should be given a weekly day off. off. “The research is helpful in that it throws light on various aspects of the current state of employment of FDWs in Singapore including practices and attitudes towards a day off for FDWs. It should be a call to action for policymakers, academics and employers, as well as prospective employers to improve the working conditions of FDWs,” remarked Ms Jacqueline Loh, an Executive Committee member of the National Committee for UN Women, Singapore (formerly known as UNIFEM Singapore) who was also part of the research team. The report makes nine focussed, but detailed, policy recommendations (see box over page). page). “In releasing the report at this time, we hope that the new Manpower Minister, will, together with the Ministry, recognise that the issue is one of basic employment justice and will be more open to re-examining re -examining the day
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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off question. Migrant labour NGOs, both at home and internationally, view the day off as the cornerstone of a better set of rights that should be available to FDWs,” TWC2 Vice-President, Dr Noor Abdul Rahman, noted. The report is timely, given that the International Labour Organisation has earlier this month adopted the Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, an international Convention which sets a framework for domestic worker rights and includes a weekly day off. TWC2 recommends that the Singapore government reviews domestic laws and policies to match international labour standards. HOME’s Executive Director noted, “The benefit to Singapore as a whole, where a foreign domestic worker is employed in one in six households, would be incalculable.”
Recommendations of the report
Make a weekly day off mandatory but allow FDWs to opt to work for their employer on their day off in return for fair compensation. The law should restrict FDWs from signing away more than 50% of their days off in a given month in return for cash compensation. This will prevent undue influence being brought to bear on the worker and ensure the FDW has access to assistance if required. Provide FDWs with the same legal protections as all other low wage workers in Singapore. Repeal security conditions that make employers responsible for observing work permit conditions of FDWs under their employ.. Provide rights-based education for employers. Enhance education for employers on employeremployee relationships and stress management. Promote social support networks for FDWs. Promote social support networks for employers of FDWs. Improve the professionalism and support functions of employment agencies engaged in FDW placements.
From the secretariat… Greetings to all members, volunteers and collaborators of TWC2. This last quarter has been a busy one for the office. At the end of March, we rang in another 2 year period for the society with our Annual General Meeting where we voted in our new Executive Committee (Exco). As part of the new management structure of the society, we have been implementing a Subcommittee structure to do the detailed specialist work of the Exco. Last year, we brought in a new Direct Services Subcommittee to replace the Helpdesk Subcommittee. This reflects the wider field of direct services work that we undertake. We also set up a Research Subcommittee under John Gee’s able direction. This year, we have brought in a Communications Subcommittee which will be involved with all our corporate communications work. We have a wide internet presence with our website, Facebook page and new blog (transientworkerscount2.blogspot.com) transientworkerscount2.blogspot.com) and put out regular Newsletters as well as our weekly e-bulletin, On The Move. Moreover, we also regularly write to the press on issues of topical concern and issue media releases. Therefore, we decided to bring all this activity under one roof; from now on the Communications Subcom will be responsible for all our work in this area. The Committee is chaired by Alex Au, our Treasurer, and a prominent blogger yawningbread.wordpress.com), ), who has written several insightful pieces on migrant worker issues. (yawningbread.wordpress.com And finally, next week will see the inaugural meeting of the Fundraising Subcommittee which will oversee all our fundraising initiatives. As mentioned, our direct services work is increasing in volume and depth. We are seeing more and more cases come through our freephone helpline (especially domestic workers) and there is a general stable trend of men accessing us through The Cuff Road Project. As part of our work responding to our cases, we will be mounting campaigns on the day off for domestic worker and to encourage the Singapore government to ratify the Domestic Workers’ Convention. We recently secured funding to extend the Enrichment Enri chment Programme, ably run by the IFN and FFN ladies. In the next couple of months we will be developing our programme for the next semester and are hoping to attract teachers for English, Computer and Business skills classes. We will also be running this year’s Helpdesk Training Programme in the next quarter – all volunteers who want to be involved in helpline and case work should think about attending. We also welcomed two interns from Hong Kong University who are working on media work and legal research. On Friday 1 July, they will get a chance to meet all our volunteers who are attending the First Annual Volunteers Appreciation Dinner hosted at el-Toro Restaurant in Penang Lane. A gentle reminder: those members who have not renewed their membership, please ring us at the offic office. e.
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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People TWC2 bids farewell to Nurifah Rasidi, a longtime helpdesk volunteer and one of the founders of IFN. Nuri will be going home on 3 July after many years here. A farewell barbeque attended by many IFN and FFN ladies as well as TWC2 members was held at East Coast Parkway on Sunday 26 June (picture left). We warmly welcome Rista Ningrum who will be taking over from Nuri as President of IFN. Rista presented the Migrants Forum Asia statement to the International Labour Conference that later adopted the Domestic Workers Convention. We would like to extend our condolences to Rhemy Capanas, FFN leader, who recently lost her aunt. We would also like to extend our condolences to Fatima Abdullah, a helpdesk volunteer, whose father passed away a few weeks ago. The ladies of the FFN Enrichment Course will be having their graduation in the presence of the Philippines Ambassador on 17 July 2011. On Sunday 26 June there was a forum organised by TWC2 and HOME for Bengali migrant workers. Anisur Rahman of IMA Research Foundation, Dhaka, and Moynul who is the Managing Editor of Banglar Kantha newspaper spoke to the attendees on issues relating to safe migration and the implications of Bangladesh signing the Migrant Workers’ Convention (not to be confused with the Domestic Workers’ Convention). We hope to arrange more such dialogues for our migrant worker friends. TWC2 would like to congratulate Bridget Tan, Founder-President of Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, who was awarded the TIP Hero 2011 Award by the US State Department on Tuesday 28 June. In making this award, the US Government shows its support for the NGOs in Singapore who are involved in the work of extending rights and protections for migrant workers. On Sunday 26 June, members of the TWC2 Exco, leaders of IFN and FFN, and other migrant worker activists met with the lawyers from the Research Subcommittee who are working on the Parliamentary Submission for the amendment process of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. Chaired, By Dr Noor Abdul Rahman, Vice-president of TWC2, the lawyers took us through their detailed recommendations for amendment of the Act (picture above right).
Events 6 May 2011
Debbie Fordyce and three Bangladeshi workers spoke spoke to students students on migrant labour issues at the Canadian International School.
18 May 2011
John Gee addressed the members of the Singapore Rotary Club at their Luncheon Meeting.
26 May 2011
Vincent Wijeysingha was interviewed for a p profile rofile piece by the Lien Lien Centre for Social Innovation for their publication, Social Space.
1 June 2011
John Gee and Rista Ningrum represented TWC2 at the start of the International Labour Labour Conference in Geneva.
1 June 2011
Dr Russ Heng spoke spoke on the pros and cons on Singapore Singapore immig immigration ration as part of a series of talks on migrant worker issues at The Pigeonhole in Duxton Road.
4 June 2011
A TWC2 supporter and her sons met with Vincent Wijeysingha to hand ove overr a donation which represented her Silver Wedding Anniversary gifts. Having come to Singapore from India 25 years ago, she felt this was a fitting way to celebrate this milestone in hers and her husba nd’s life.
8 June 2011
Dr Noor Abdul Rahman spoke as part of The Pigeonhole series on ‘Why Serve Migrants’ together with speakers from HOME and Migrant Voices.
24 June 2011
Mansura Sajahan and Vincent Vincent Wijeysingha met with the CEO of Agrani Exchange, a remittance company associated with the national Agrani Bank of Bangladesh to receive a donation from their Board.
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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Working to improve the conditions of workers Immediate Past President, John Gee, was guest speaker at the Rotary Club Luncheon Meeting, 18 May 2011. His remarks, a fluent history of TWC2 and its work, which are a timely reminder to all of us in TWC2 , were published in the club’s magazine, Crossroads (Volume 47, Issue 44). They are reproduced here with permission.
Transient Workers Count Too is a society that works for the rights and wellbeing of migrant workers in Singapore. We seek to promote fairness and harmony in the relationship between migrant workers and the Singaporean Singap orean host community. We started out as The Working Committee 2 in 2003. The initiative was prompted in the first place by reports about the brutal treatment by her employer of a young woman called Muawanatul Chasanah, resulting in her death. We knew that the great majority of domestic workers are not subjected to such violence, but a troublingly large proportion faced problems such as non-payment of their salaries, overwork, inadequate food and not enough time for rest. Something had to t o be done. We originally set out to organize a short and intensive campaign focusing on public education and advocacy to improve the position of domestic workers, but towards the end of the year, some of us decided that we ought to continue our work.
The original logo of The Working Committee 2
This was how Transient Workers Count Too began. We thought hard about a new name and someone suggested one that both reflected what we stood for and preserved the initials already in use. We became a society in 2004. One big difference for this new society was that it was concerned with all low paid migrant workers, men as well as women. We did not know a lot about the problems facing male workers, but we’d realized that they needed change too. In most societies, there’s a tendency to assume that men will cope with hardship and injustice because they are supposed to be tough and resilient, but the outcome can be that they don’t receive the support they need. To achieve our goals, we’ve worked by three means: advocacy and public education, research and direct services. Our direct services are mainly represented by two projects: the help desk that began as a helpline in December 2006 and the Cuff Road Project. For the help desk, we have a full-time community worker. There are also volunteers who assist in many ways. We have an Emergency Fund that we generally try to use for dealing with small-scale but urgent problems, like paying for basic medical needs. We have to look to others for help for workers needing more expensive assistance. The Cuff Road Project was launched in March 2008, as a response to the plight of workers on Special Passes who had no reliable incomes and slept out on the streets. It was very spontaneous. A group of individuals who visited Cuff Road saw these men sleeping on the five foot way. They thought that something needed to be done. The society decided to support the initiative and to sustain it for as long as it was necessary or possible. We did not think that we could find the resources to run a dormitory for the men, but we could help ensure that they had regular meals. We wanted them to be able to sit down with their friends and take a little time over eating if they wanted and so we came to arrangements with a couple of restaurants in Little India. The project has provided more than 200,000 meals since it began, and is operated with the help of volunteers who register men who come to it. Additional support is provided by our Cuff Road Project Coordinator, our Community Worker, and trained volunteers who give advice to workers who bring problems to them and arrange assistance to workers who need medical help and whose employers, for one reason or another, are not supporting them. Research is necessary to establish the basic facts and issues concerning migrant workers. We have produced nine research papers up to now, not including helpdesk reports. The latest was a set of proposals for the amendment of the Employment Agencies Act, for which we were able to call on a team of lawyer volunteers. We will be making a similar submission to the Ministry of Manpower on the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. We try to make sure that our press releases, website information and members’ newsletters are well researched. We think that public debate on migrant workers is best served when it is underpinned by sound facts and when the key problem areas are highlighted accurately. We also want to ensure that we have a strong basis for the other main field of our work, advocacy. Advocacy includes public education and seeking to bring about beneficial changes in policies and practices, whether of government, institutions, companies or other bodies. Our longest running advocacy effort has been in support of a weekly day off for domestic workers. We’ve worked around the issues of safe and decent transport and accommodation for workers, and for Singapore to embrace a legal understanding of what trafficking is that would enable it to tackle the problem more effectively.
Please join us in congratulating the participants in this semester’s TWC2 Enrichment Programme run by the Filipino Family Network, who will be graduating from their course at a ceremony in the presence of the Philippines Ambassador on Sunday 17 July 2011. Next semester will see a revamped and augmented Enrichment Programme involving a wider range of o f courses. 1
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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Other issues tend to be more immediate and are thrown up by the work we do, such as the problem of workers paying for placement in jobs that turn out not to exist, which came up in 2008 with men from China, Bangladesh and India. Another such issue was that of employers who had taken to telling workers they had to renew their contracts after one year rather than the customary two, and who charged them for it. This could mean that a man spent an entire year paying for his placement and then, because of the charge made for contract renewal, he’d pay out most of his earnings over a two-year period and not be able to send very much back to his family. The Ministry of Manpower has taken some action to counter both these abuses, which has improved the situation somewhat. We see advocacy as central to our work, and this sets TWC2 apart from other migrant worker-related bodies. Our basic case is simple; it can be summed up as ‘prevention is better than cure’. We want to see the causes of the problems faced by migrant workers removed, and then much of the work that currently goes into damage repair will be unnecessary; a lot of pain and hardship will be avoided. It is not always easy to get this point over. The positive results of rescuing a woman who has been beaten, or of feeding men who are hungry are immediately clear, whereas those of meeting with interested parties, discussing, writing articles and letters and giving information to students and researchers are all too easily dismissed as ‘just words’, yet they can ultimately improve the position of millions of people.
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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TWC2 Organisational Blueprint At the AGM in March, members conducted a direction setting exercise to assess where we had come from sin ce our inception way back in the early 2000s until today. As part of our work to set the direction of the society in the years to come, we went through a visioning process led by Vincent Wijeysingha. The outcome was a document we have christened our Organisational Blueprint, which is found below. This document, as it names suggests, will help to shape our goals and direction in the period going forward. It will assist us to induct new members and volunteers and help us to clarify our campaigning and advocacy goals when confronted with new societal developments and organisational programmes. We hope members will make the Blueprint their own and share it with new members.
The vision of TWC2
Migrant workers are treated fairly, justly and with dignity, and protected by law. Our values
1. All labour is dignified, and the contributions of migrant workers to the economic and social wellbeing of Singapore must be recognised and valued. 2. Migrant workers are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity, and without discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, language, religion, class, age, sexual orientation or nationality. 3. All workers are entitled to humane and dignified treatment, safe working conditions, reasonable work hours, fair wages, rest and leisure, days off and decent accommodation. 4. Employers have a right to competent migrant workers who agree to and abide by the terms of their employment contracts. 5. Employment agencies should conduct their business in a responsible and professional manner, and in accordance with these values. Our aims
1. Promote respect for migrant workers. 2. Secure fair treatment of migrant workers. 3. Improve the welfare of migrant workers. 4. Resolve the work-related or personal distress of migrant workers and their employers. 5. Deliver skills to ensure harmonious and mutually beneficial working relationships. 6. Bring Singaporean employment standards into line with the International Labour Organisation’s fundamental principles. Our tasks
1. Advocate and secure protection for migrant workers under the law. 2. Offer public education campaigns to raise awareness of the legal, economic and social problems faced by migrant workers and to promote respect for migrant workers. 3. Engage with government agencies and the community as a whole to produce improvements in the conditions of migrant work. 4. Conduct research to provide the measurable data to support changes in public awareness and government policy, and monitor the effects of policy changes. 5. Assist migrant workers to redress work-related distress or grievances. 6. Resolve the work-related issues arising in the relationship between migrant workers and their employers. 7. Provide or facilitate direct services such as casework, monitoring, access to legal assistance, basic needs, healthcare, therapeutic support and emergency financial assistance to improve day-to-day welfare and enable migrant workers to maintain a healthy and dignified existence. 8. Provide training to develop effective working relationships between employers and employees and enhance migrant workers’ future marketable skills. 9. Administer a professional and effective non-governmental, voluntary welfare organisation and efficiently raise funds to achieve these objectives through ensuring a sustainably-managed programme base, constantly improving our member/volunteer involvement, and effective organisational communication. ▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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Feature article
A Day-off Too Late A eulogy for Miss Cawi Nei Mawi by Cherry Hmung Cherry Hmung, a Burmese from Chin State in western Burma, worked in Singapore as a domestic worker from 2002 to 2009. Through reading the papers, particularly The St particularly Strait rait Times fo forum rum page, sshe he came to und understand erstand the the opinions opinions of employers employers about about their domestic domestic worke worker. r. Wantin Wanting g to tell their their side o off the story, she started blogging just before she returned home. By posting, she hoped to contribute to a better understanding about the situations of domestic workers. “I want to assure them that granting them some freedom freedom is is not dangerous dangerous as some some employers employers think think.” .” Cherry wrote wrote the follo following wing artic article le when a Burmese domestic worker committed suicide in Singapore in April 2011. She sent the article to The Straits Times which did not pick it up. Cherry offered it to TWC2 to try and explain to Singaporeans why a day off is such an important part of working as a domestic worker in Singapore.
April 22, 2001 was Good Friday. This is the day Christians around the world commemorate the death of Jesus. Our church in Falam, a small town in the Chin State, held the commemoration service at noon. Around the same time in Singapore, FCFS (Falam Christian Fellowship, Singapore) also had a rather peculiar service in the presence of an honoured guest. It was the first time Cawi Nei Mawi had come to the church to meet her friends. Sadly, it was also her last. Cawi had died a week earlier. Preliminary investigations indicated she had died from suicide. On Sundays, there are usually 30 to 50 people who meet for the worship service. On special occasions like Christmas, more than 100 may turn up. Since two-thirds of its members are domestic workers, it is difficult for them to get a day off, especially during weekdays. But Cawi had touched and drawn many people, so about 100 people came to bid their farewell on that gloomy Friday. The fifth of seven siblings, Cawi came to Singapore to work as a domestic worker six months earlier. She did this after her home in Burma was consumed by a raging fire, injuring her mother. A second blow befell the family as her brother had passed away on March 29. Cawi must have gone through a very difficult time. In the Chin Christian community, if someone passes away, people come to accompany the bereaved family through the whole night. They would sing hopeful songs about life after death to soothe the pains of the bereaved. After the funeral, relatives and friends would stay with the family for weeks. Coming from this closely-knit community, grieving alone for the loss of her brother in a foreign country might have been too much for her to take. Whenever a domestic worker commits suicide, the first thought in many people’s minds is that she must have been treated badly by her employers. Contrary to this opinion, Cawi wrote in her diary that she was treated well. But she wrote a great deal about her family: how she missed them, how she worried about them, and how she wished there would be more love and care in the family. She filled her diary with her anxieties, worries, loneliness and sadness. She also wrote words to three of her favourite gospel songs. What happened on that fateful day of April 15 I don’t know, but I can offer some thoughts.
When I was young, my mother told me about her brother. He had been troubled by tapeworms for a long time. After he failed to get rid of them, when he couldn't tolerate them anymore, he took poison to kill them all giving his life as the price. Did Cawi try to end her misery like my uncle? For her case, it was not to end physical but mental pain. In her darkest hour, did she felt like Jesus on the cross, suffering alone? For FCFS, this is the second tragedy. The first happened in 2005, when I was working in Singapore myself, as a domestic worker. Aanei, a girl I knew since she was a little girl, jumped to her death from the tall apartment building where she worked. That night, I was shocked. Unable to sleep, I kept pacing in my room, grieving for her. If an outsider like me felt this way, I could not imagine the sorrow and pain of her family, especially her parents, who must be racked with guilt for letting her work in a foreign country. What drove these young women in their twenties to commit this terrible thing? Even if the individual circumstances are very different, there is one common denominator: Both women were confined in their employers' house, cut off from outside world, from their family and loved ones. They had nobody to tell their troubles to. There was nobody to comfort them. Wanting to understand them better, I tentatively put myself in their shoes but quickly withdrew, afraid of what I might find if I bored too deep into their thoughts. My own memory of the time I started work as a domestic worker in Singapore is still vivid, although it is nearly nine years ago. I was shocked to find myself amid strangers, in their house as their servant. There were so many things to learn at once. I made lots of mistakes and kept forgetting. There was also a language problem. When we could not communicate well, the situation worsened. Because of the day's work, my whole body ached badly at night and I couldn't sleep. On those sleepless nights I wished the night would never end, fearing to face the anger of my employer and to get a scolding again in the morning.
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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When I looked out of the window, as I gripped the grill, I felt like I was a prisoner. I longed for a walk outside, to meet friends and laughter. I missed my cosy home so much. But when I thought of going home, the debt, the money I borrowed to come to work in Singapore weighed me down. If I went back, how was I to pay it back? To make matters worse, my employer announced she couldn't accept my performance and demanded another maid. The agent couldn't find a replacement just yet, so I was stuck there. As I sampled the taste of hell on earth, luckily, I got a call from Nueng. She is a friend who helped contact the maid agency. Just after I started work, I called Van, my brother who was also working in Singapore, to say I was okay. When there were no more calls after two months, he was worried about me and asked Nueng's help. Nueng rang my employer and pretended to be my agent so I was allowed to talk with her. She asked how things were going. I poured everything out. She was sympathetic and understanding, since she had worked as a maid before. After listening patiently to my troubles, she in turn told me about the hardships she had gone through as a maid. She assured me that I wouldn't always be miserable like that. After a few months, I would become familiar with the work and the people and I would be alright again. After we talked, I felt that my burden had been lifted. I was relieved and had enough strength to plough on. If Aanei and Cawi had been lucky like me, and had somebody caring to talk to, who could understand and counsel them, their lives might have turned out differently. Many surveys suggest that about half of domestic workers get a day off. The maid population has been increasing steadily. If we assume there are about 200,000 domestic workers in Singapore today, and that half the maids sign agreements to work without a day off, then it means so many Singaporeans have turned their modern furnished beautiful flats and houses into prisons for the young women from poorer neighbouring Asian countries. In Singapore today, how many maids are cut off from the outside world and kept isolated? How many are asked to work from dawn to midnight without adequate food? How many are taking silently the physical and verbal abuses hurled on them? Of course, most survive. The strong would become stronger through their ordeal. Some would just survive to go back home to tell their tales of Singapore. If you remember, some committed terrible, unimaginable crimes. When I stared at those young faces on the pages of the newspapers in those days, I could not believe they had killed somebody. They just didn't look like killers. I wish these horrible things will never happen again in Singapore. The force that nourished, provoked and unleashed the monster inside them must have been too powerful for them to resist. And how many turned on themselves and truncated their own lives? How many more are going to follow them? Is it right to watch them from a distance with detachment? Is it right to let them stumble and fall because they are not strong enough to survive? Are you going to pretend you do not see them at all? Concerned with the way some whites treated the blacks in the post-Depression American South, in her classic novel, To Kill the Mockingbird , Harper Lee put it into the mouth of a child: “It is a sin to kill the mockingbirds'. If she were a Singa porean living today, I wonder what message she might leave the younger generation of Singaporeans, about the mockingbirds who are locked inside the cage of their parents' beautiful homes, who are deprived of their freedom till their happy songs die away and they forget how to smile. Cawi, I learnt about your tragic death from the FCFS group mail a week after your funeral took place. I am sorry about your family's misfortune and what you had been through. I also want to let you know that I am disappointed with you because you gave up too early. In my case, my employer granted me a monthly day off after three months. When I got my first day off, as I walked along the road freely, I couldn't help grinning like an idiot. I didn't care if people thought I'd gone mad. I might have been dancing too. A day off seems so little to ask, but we know it can make such a difference to maids cooped up for too long. Cawi, I think we all have something to learn from your death, before it is too late.
John Gee to speak at The Pigeonhole... Against Violations and Abuse: A Discussion on the Features of the ILO Domestic Workers’ Convention Wed 6 July 2011, 7.30-9.30pm, 52-53 Duxton Road The ILO Convention and Recommendation on domestic workers aim to provide legal recognition of domestic work as work, to extend rights to all domestic workers and to prevent violations and abuses. These instruments would provide a global framework of minimum standards for extending labour and social protection to domestic workers.
Not for Sale: Is there a Need for Anti-trafficking Laws in Singapore Wed 20 July 2011, 7.30-9.30pm, 52-53 Duxton Road Singapore is a destination country for women and girls trafficked fro m Thailand, Philippines, People’s Republic of China, and Indonesia for commercial sexual and labour exploitation. Some voluntarily migrate to Singapore to work as prostitutes but later coerced into sexual servitude. Singapore does not have a law specific to anti-trafficking; however, it has many laws to prosecute, protect, and prevent.
All are welcome. Admission: S$4.00 per person. 50% of admission will be donated to TWC2.
▪ Winner of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s New Non -Profit Initiative Award 2005 ▪ ▪ Winner of the American Women’s Association Woman of the Year Award 2011 ▪ ▪ Winner of the Rotary Club of Singapore Good Samaritan 2011 Award ▪
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