DUBAI (AFP) — Human Rights Watch urged Arab states on Thursday to make good on longstanding promises of reforms to protect female migrant workers, mostly Asian housemaids, from a multitude of abuses.
HRW, in a statement issued on International Migrants Day, called for rapid action to curb "widespread egregious abuse."
"Each day of delay leaves migrant domestic workers open to abuses such as unpaid wages, being locked in their workplaces, and to physical and sexual abuse," said Nisha Varia, deputy director of HRW's women's rights division.
HRW said millions of domestic workers, mainly from Southeast Asia and Ethiopia, are employed in the Middle East but not included in labour laws, giving their sponsors the chance to exploit migrant women without penalty.
Abuses documented by HRW include 18-hour workdays, denial of food, no payment for months or even years, confinement to the workplace, and physical and sexual abuse.
Some cases have also shown forced labour and human trafficking.
The statement said a number of Arab countries -- notably Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain -- have long promised action. However, none has yet been taken.
"It is encouraging that governments are finally considering serious reforms, but these proposals mean nothing until the new protections are in place and being enforced," Varia said in the statement.
Jordan, hosting an estimated 70,000 foreign domestic workers, adopted amendments in July to include domestic workers in its labour law. But it has yet to outline the specific labour protections that will apply.
Lebanon, with 200,000 domestic workers, has failed to act on promises to reform its labour laws.
HRW found that in Lebanon more than one foreign domestic worker dies each week on average, either by committing suicide or from failed escape attempts.
The organisation urged all governments to ratify the UN Migrant Workers Convention, which guarantees their human rights and promises state protection against abuse by employers, agents and public officials.
It also called on countries of origin to rigorously monitor the recruitment process in an effort to protect workers from being cheated or trafficked.
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