A report published by the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) on today revealed that roughly a third of all migrant workers in Malaysian households are being subjected to forced labour. This is an alarming statistic, indicating the imperative need to take action against this human rights violation.
The UN agency has identified certain signs of forced labour, which include things like extensive working hours, unpaid overtime, paltry wages, restricted mobility and inability to quit the job. A survey of 1,201 domestic workers in Southeast Asia revealed that 29% were subject to poor working conditions in Malaysia, compared to only 7% and 4% in Singapore and Thailand respectively.
The ILO’s survey revealed that the hours worked by domestic workers in all three countries greatly exceeded legal regulations placed on other employees and none of them were paid the minimum wage.
The International Labour Organisation is encouraging Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand to ratify United Nations conventions that address the concerns of domestic workers and those facing forced labour. It is important for these three countries to take action in order to provide better working conditions.
They also are required to provide recognition to the skill sets involved in this field of work and create migration pathways that do not bind migrants or workers to their respective employers.
In many households across Asia, domestic workers – mainly women from Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Philippines – are hired to do household chores like cooking, tidying up, taking care of children and gardening.
In recent times, Malaysia has come under intense scrutiny and criticism for the mistreatment of Indonesian domestic labourers, as well as accusations of exploitation of migrant workers by its companies. A vast majority of domestic workers in Malaysia come from Indonesia, with approximately 80% according to the ILO. Recently, both countries signed a deal to improve the welfare and rights of these workers.
