21pc of house maids face physical abuse, says BILS study
Around 21 percent of female domestic workers in Dhaka experience physical abuse at the workplace, while 91 percent don't know about the hotline number 999 to seek help for gender-based violence, said a study conducted by Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies.
The study, which surveyed 465 domestic workers from Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Badda, and Khilgaon of the capital, revealed the findings during a discussion session titled "Role of Media in Ensuring the Rights of Domestic Workers" at UCEP Bangladesh headquarters yesterday.
It was jointly organised by Dushtha Shasthya Kendra and UCEP Bangladesh. The report titled "Decent Work and Gender Violence at Workplace: A Study on Women Domestic Workers in Bangladesh-2022", was conducted under SUNITI Project (Securing Rights of Women Domestic Workers). It was supported by Global Affairs Canada and Oxfam.
As per the report, 67 percent of women domestic workers face mental torture whereas 61 percent get verbally harassed.
None of them have any official agreement of employment, as the process is done verbally, and 26 percent of them face a reduction in salary if they get late or remain absent from work.
Domestic workers have challenges obtaining formal employment recognition due to their exclusion from the Bangladesh Labour Act.
Only seven percent of the respondents received maternity leave, while three percent received payment during the leave. At least 87 percent did not receive any weekly holidays.
According to the report, 84 percent of women domestic workers have been living below the poverty line, with an average monthly salary of Tk 5,311.
Dr Md Abdul Karim, executive director of UCEP Bangladesh, said domestic workers have challenges obtaining formal employment recognition due to their exclusion from the Bangladesh Labour Act. The Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy 2015 is not yet a law.
"To provide domestic employees with a meaningful place in society, the media can raise awareness on the legal loopholes," he added.
"Understanding domestic workers' rights can be enhanced by allowing them to discuss their rights and their violations," said Richa Sharma, programme officer of Oxfam Canada.
Ekattor TV's journalist Farzana Rupa said, "Violence towards domestic workers is a grim reality. Employers hold the power to fire or hire them at any moment, which causes insecurity among them regarding their income."
The situation of child domestic workers is worse, she added.