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Movie on domestic worker sheds light into their struggles

HONG KONG (SE): The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong celebrated National Women’s Month with the screening of Martika, a movie highlighting the struggles of both overseas workers and their employers on March 25. 
 
The 60-minute feature film, directed by Wong Fei-pang, calls attention to Filipino domestic workers, whose presence may have been ignored but exposes that they matter to Hong Kong in more ways than is currently thought of.
 
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Domestic workers’ sleep marred by legal loopholes

HONG KONG (SE): Groups monitoring the rights of foreign migrant workers in Hong Kong have long pointed to problematic areas of the code of practice that covers their employment, noting that despite much huff and puff from both governments and consulates, the situation continues to deteriorate.
 
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No win-win in window cleaning standoff

HONG KONG (SE): The Philippine Consulate General to Hong Kong has backed off on its initial hardline demand that would ban its nationals from cleaning exterior windows in high rise apartments and now seems prepared to settle for a controversial arrangement that suits the government of Hong Kong and few others.
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Worker safety clashes with employer interest

HONG KONG (SE): Following the deaths of several domestic workers falling from high rise apartment buildings while cleaning the outside of windows, the Philippine Consulate General to Hong Kong sought to place a clause in all contracts signed by its nationals in the future banning the task.
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Domestic workers strike for rights in India

DEHLI (UCAN): Some 4,000 domestic workers in New Delhi went on strike on August 16 to demand that the federal government formulate a law to ensure fair wages and security for them.

The domestic workers, registered under the Domestic Workers’ Forum of Chetnalaya, the social service wing of the archdiocese of Delhi, took to the streets to observe No Rights, No Work Day.
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The Unsung Heroes become sung well heroes

HONG KONG (SE): The Unsung Heroes, a choir made up of over 50 Filipino migrant domestic workers, became the sung well heroes at a day to promote understanding among different peoples in Hong Kong, when they drew a few tears from misty eyes with their song, I wish I could kiss you good night.
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Bizzare plea in murder trial

DUBAI (SE): A 35-year-old woman and citizen of the United Arab Emirates is currently on trial for the murder of a Filipino domestic worker who died in December last year.

Gulf News reported on March 1 that the woman had tortured the domestic worker from the Comoros Islands over a period of months, brutally kicking and punching her, as well as beating her with bamboo sticks and administering low voltage electric shocks to her body.
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Indian domestic workers take plight to streets

NEW DELHI (UCAN): Church organisations in the Indian capital city of New Delhi helped organise women domestic workers, recognised as the most oppressed work sectors in the country, in a demand for minimum wages and job security, which they say are necessary to lead a dignified life.

“We have been suffering for so long. There should be a law for us so that the employers do not pay us according to their wish and remove us from the job whenever they want,” Sunita Yadav, a domestic worker, said.
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