Maid abuse not restricted to the ME
Apr 12th 2011, 3:16 pm
#16
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,869
Re: Maid abuse not restricted to the ME
language barrier: We keep telling her to take a break, to go and rest, to stop working so hard, but she thought we were urging her to work more.
Apr 12th 2011, 4:56 pm
#17
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2010
Location: Abu Dhabi
Posts: 98
Re: Maid abuse not restricted to the ME
But admittedly you can't gloss over this stuff in the UK. I feel quite depressed whenever I look into our (uniccupied!) maid room. I can't understand how someone is meant to live in a room that small.
Apr 12th 2011, 5:18 pm
#18
ex-expat
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: in front of my computer - in sunny Sussex!
Posts: 2,162
Re: Maid abuse not restricted to the ME
Makes a great pantry though.
I talked about it to my cleaner though and she smiled, shrugged and said it wasn't too bad... but then again, she's an eternal optimist - heck, she's a trained social worker in the Philippines, but earning more as a cleaner here.
Apr 12th 2011, 11:24 pm
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,641
Re: Maid abuse not restricted to the ME
"Madagascar flies home maids abused in Lebanon"
How many maids from India, Sri Lanka , Bangladesh,Ethiopia die and their own embassies cover it up. I recall a news article mentioning that the Indian embassy stopped keeping record of all the Indian labourers killed in the UAE.
ANTANANARIVO (AFP) – Madagascar's government early Thursday flew home 86 women domestic workers from Lebanon who had been subjected to abuse, amid concerns over the deaths of 17 Madagascan maids in the past year.Most of the women "had run away from their employers," said Population Minister Nadine Ramaroson as she welcomed them at Antananarivo airport.
"Their return home was negotiated by the Madagascan consul in Lebanon after either the women themselves or their families asked for them to be repatriated," Ramaroson said.
The government decided to charter a plane after numerous cases of abuse were reported. The Population Ministry received more than 600 repatriation requests from maids or their families.
The Union of Qualified Domestic Workers (SPDTS), an non-governmental organisation that helps the victims and their families, says that in the past year alone 17 Madagascan maids in Lebanon died from abuse suffered at the hands of their employers.
"There have been a lot of deaths," Prime Minister Camille Vital said. "That's why the government has decided to repatriate those who wanted to come home. The government is paying for this rapatriation."
On their arrival at the airport the young women were met by social workers from SPDTS and by staff from different ministries tasked with providing medical care and counselling.
"My boss used to hit me and didn't give me my salary. I'm very, very happy to be back home," said 25-year-old Leonie.
Another woman who gave her name as Augustine said: "The friend with whom I ran away from my boss wasn't able to get on the plane at the last minute. I'm really worried about her. She's not in good shape."
More than 7,000 Madagascans work in Lebanon, according to SPDTS. In 2010 around 500 of them came home before the end of their contract.
"Their return home was negotiated by the Madagascan consul in Lebanon after either the women themselves or their families asked for them to be repatriated," Ramaroson said.
The government decided to charter a plane after numerous cases of abuse were reported. The Population Ministry received more than 600 repatriation requests from maids or their families.
The Union of Qualified Domestic Workers (SPDTS), an non-governmental organisation that helps the victims and their families, says that in the past year alone 17 Madagascan maids in Lebanon died from abuse suffered at the hands of their employers.
"There have been a lot of deaths," Prime Minister Camille Vital said. "That's why the government has decided to repatriate those who wanted to come home. The government is paying for this rapatriation."
On their arrival at the airport the young women were met by social workers from SPDTS and by staff from different ministries tasked with providing medical care and counselling.
"My boss used to hit me and didn't give me my salary. I'm very, very happy to be back home," said 25-year-old Leonie.
Another woman who gave her name as Augustine said: "The friend with whom I ran away from my boss wasn't able to get on the plane at the last minute. I'm really worried about her. She's not in good shape."
More than 7,000 Madagascans work in Lebanon, according to SPDTS. In 2010 around 500 of them came home before the end of their contract.
Apr 12th 2011, 11:29 pm
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,641
Re: Maid abuse not restricted to the ME
ours doesn't even have a window, only has the A/C extraction and doesn't have enough straight wall space for a single bed, let alone any kind of storage.
Makes a great pantry though.
I talked about it to my cleaner though and she smiled, shrugged and said it wasn't too bad... but then again, she's an eternal optimist - heck, she's a trained social worker in the Philippines, but earning more as a cleaner here.
Makes a great pantry though.
I talked about it to my cleaner though and she smiled, shrugged and said it wasn't too bad... but then again, she's an eternal optimist - heck, she's a trained social worker in the Philippines, but earning more as a cleaner here.
