Housemaids ‘need more protection’
By Geoffrey bew
Published: 16 March 2007
BAHRAIN was criticised by a United Nations body yesterday for failing to adequately specify what action is being taken to protect migrant workers from prejudice.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is calling for legislation to be introduced in Bahrain to protect female domestic workers – particularly relating to debt bondage, withholding their passports, rape and physical assault.
The committee also expressed concern about the arrest of human rights activists this year and wants women to have equal rights to work, housing and social security.
Housemaids ‘need more protection’
By Geoffrey bew
Published: 16 March 2007
BAHRAIN was criticised by a United Nations body yesterday for failing to adequately specify what action is being taken to protect migrant workers from prejudice.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is calling for legislation to be introduced in Bahrain to protect female domestic workers – particularly relating to debt bondage, withholding their passports, rape and physical assault.
The committee also expressed concern about the arrest of human rights activists this year and wants women to have equal rights to work, housing and social security.
The body earlier recommended that Bahrain establish a national human rights institution and take steps to redress “serious problems” faced by female domestic workers.
But in the latest CERD report, expert Morten Kjaerum said government officials had failed to provide enough information to satisfy the organisation.
The conclusions were made at a CERD meeting this week, during which the committee considered the Bahrain government’s sixth and seventh periodic reports.
The government sent its comments to the committee in a document dated October 19 last year and the committee held a meeting in Geneva last month with a delegation from the dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR).
That meeting discussed updating information and the BCHR’s comments on the government reply.
“In its reply, Bahrain did not enumerate specific steps, but had relied on citing relevant legislation regarding those issues or by simply stating that the government encouraged the work of civil society organisations,” said the CERD report.
“Mr Kjaerum felt the replies did not seem to provide sufficient information on the areas concerned.
“With regard to support for human rights organisations, the committee should ask about the Political Associations Act of 2005, which had been found to be unduly restrictive, and ask for information about the arrest of human rights activists in January this year.
“Concerning domestic workers, the committee could request what steps were being taken, in particular to ensure that the legislation in place protected female domestic workers, in particular with regard to debt bondage, passport withholding, rape and physical assault.”
Bahrain signed up to the CERD convention in March 1990 and is required to submit comprehensive reports to the committee every four years, with brief updating reports every two years.
© Gulf Daily News