By eunice del rosario
Published: 13th October 2006
FEWER housemaids have approached their embassies for assistance just over halfway into Ramadan, compared to last year.
The Philippine Embassy’s shelter, located in Zinj, currently houses about 52 workers, the majority of who are runaway housemaids.
The number of runaways is significantly less compared to previous Ramadans when maids say that they were overworked, forced to fast despite not being Muslims and required to stay up late to prepare meals.
Last year, within the first two weeks of Ramadan, the embassy housed nearly 80 workers – over 90 per cent of who said their employers overworked them during Ramadan.
By eunice del rosario
Published: 13th October 2006
FEWER housemaids have approached their embassies for assistance just over halfway into Ramadan, compared to last year.
The Philippine Embassy’s shelter, located in Zinj, currently houses about 52 workers, the majority of who are runaway housemaids.
The number of runaways is significantly less compared to previous Ramadans when maids say that they were overworked, forced to fast despite not being Muslims and required to stay up late to prepare meals.
Last year, within the first two weeks of Ramadan, the embassy housed nearly 80 workers – over 90 per cent of who said their employers overworked them during Ramadan.
“This year is not as bad as previous years,” said welfare officer Venus Bravo.
“Perhaps employers have listened to the call of labour sending embassies in Bahrain prior to the start of the holy month.”
Other than the Philippine Embassy, the Indonesian and Thai Embassies, as well as leaders from the Ethiopian and Indian communities called on employers last month to treat their maids fairly throughout the holy month.
But despite the fewer number of runaways, Ms Bravo said that the embassy’s shelter would remain on standby.
“We have a couple more weeks to go and then Eid Al Fitr, which is a very busy time,” she said.
“But this first two weeks of Ramadan, we have seen a big difference.
“There are days now we do not receive workers seeking shelter.
“When we do, there are about two to four, which is the number we normally receive when it is not Ramadan.
“Our message to employers is thanks for having listened to us.”
Although few this year, there are still maids who run away saying that they are overworked.
In the past some have claimed “stressed out” sponsors physically assaulted them.
Before Ramadan started, the Indonesian Embassy, in the Seef District, on average assisted five distraught maids on a daily basis.
But embassy attaché Ahmed Sayfuddin told the GDN that halfway into this Ramadan, they have “not received that many” as anticipated. “This is really good news,” he said.
“Before we used to receive more than five (distraught maids) almost every single day during Ramadan.
“This year is definitely different.”
The embassy does not have a shelter and with every case filed by an Indonesian worker, the embassy does its best to settle the matter out of court.
“At times, if the sponsor is not willing to help, then we take the matter to court and open up a case,” said an embassy spokeswoman.
The embassy still urges employers to continue treating maids properly for the remainder of Ramadan.
There are more than 1,000 Indonesian housemaids registered as working in Bahrain.
The Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) action committee head Marietta Dias said that their shelter has not seen an influx of runaway maids this Ramadan.
There are about nine maids, mainly from India and Indonesia, currently being provided shelter by the MWPS.
The Thai Embassy had said it was still on standby, even though there are few Thai housemaids in the country.
“Other than maids, there are those who work in beauty salons that are overworked too,” said a spokesman.
“We are always on standby about this issue and we do our very best to always be there to offer assistance to our nationals.”
© Gulf Daily News
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/story.asp?Article=158594&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29207
