Changing ‘servant’ term to ‘domestic worker’ – laudable and good decision

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT:  Domestic workers are entitled to their rights like any other workers, Philippine Labor Attache to Kuwait Nasser Mustafa said after a decision by the National Assembly to amend the term ‘servant’ to ‘domestic worker’ in local laws. Mustafa said the Philippines changed the term ‘servant’ in 2012 to protect domestic helpers’ …

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By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT:  Domestic workers are entitled to their rights like any other workers, Philippine Labor Attache to Kuwait Nasser Mustafa said after a decision by the National Assembly to amend the term ‘servant’ to ‘domestic worker’ in local laws. Mustafa said the Philippines changed the term ‘servant’ in 2012 to protect domestic helpers’ rights.

“It’s a laudable decision from the part of the National Assembly of Kuwait. The widely accepted international term should be domestic worker as defined under the International Labor Organization Convention No 189 which we, the Philippines, ratified in 2012. I will quote our former labor secretary, saying domestic work is work and thus domestic workers worldwide are like other workers, entitled to decent work,” Mustafa said.

The Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers, Convention No. 189 was adopted at the 100th International Labor Conference in Geneva on June 16, 2011. The ILO convention 189 emphasizes the basic entitlement of all domestic workers to (a) the promotion and protection of their human rights; (b) respect and protection of fundamental principles and rights at work; (c) effective protection against all forms of abuse, harassment and violence; and (d) fair terms and decent living conditions.

The Philippines deploys the most domestic helpers to Kuwait after India. The Filipino population in Kuwait is around 230,000, of which 65 percent are domestic helpers. The Philippines is a major source of housemaids for Kuwait, along with Sri Lanka and India. Other labor exporting countries such as Nepal, Indonesia and Ethiopia have requested the signing of agreements to start sending workers to Kuwait.

The Philippines and Kuwait last year agreed and signed a tripartite agreement in which Kuwait agreed to provide Filipino housemaids with decent and appropriate housing equipped with all the necessities, suitable food and clothing, and medical treatment in case of sickness pursuant to the healthcare insurance system of Kuwait.

According to an explanatory note, the amendment was attributed to avoid reservations by international human rights organizations and agencies concerned with labor affairs regarding the use of the term “maidservant” in laws regulating the domestic labor sector or in other laws. The amendment also replaced the term “private maid” with “private domestic worker”, wherever it is mentioned in any law.

Adi Kuntarto, Minister Counsellor for Information and Socio-cultural Affairs at the Indonesian Embassy, said changing a term in a legislation is common in many countries, but for him this was necessary. “The change from ‘servant’ to ‘domestic worker’ by the National Assembly was certainly done with good intentions, to sync with international laws related to human rights. We certainly welcome this effort and hope sincerely that the objectives in changing the term can be achieved.

We hope and pray that it is not limited to changing the terms, but also to ensure that all parties concerned will always uphold human rights,” he added. The Indonesian government banned the deployment of their domestic helpers to Kuwait and other Middle East countries in 2009 over failure by authorities there to protect its domestic workers against abuses and maltreatment by employers.

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