Financial empowerment

SRI LANKA’S Government has appointed a fresh committee to gradually reduce the number of female migrant workers. The move, while praiseworthy in terms of protecting women, also needs to include a dimension of improving job opportunities for women and raising basic wages so they can be truly empowered.

It is true that dozens of women have been abused due to their jobs in the Middle East. But there is also an element of empowerment where women who traditionally stay at home can seek financial empowerment through migration. Ideally these jobs should be for good pay and working conditions because freer movement of labour is a key component of sustainable development, social mobility and the valuable chance for women to make their own money to be independent. 

In Sri Lanka, women make up less than 35% of the formal workforce with the majority choosing to remain unemployed because of social restrictions and a significant wage gap. Women on the lower end of the income scale are forced to seek employment, usually as low paid housemaids, but rolling this back should be connected with stronger policy to make more women stronger stakeholders in the workforce.

For starters, there are many things the Government could do to ensure housemaids get a better deal. They can be trained to have a stronger skill set and empowered so they are not exploited. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has consistently called for responsible action by countries of origin to reduce abusive practices and help migrant workers make better choices. Beyond educating migrant workers about unethical and exploitive practices, origin countries should enact legislation and regulations and enforce them to prevent such abuses from taking place and sanction those who have engaged in them.

ILO insists that where the rights of migrant workers have been violated, all persons involved in the chain of their recruitment and employment should be legally accountable, to prevent workers from being left without any remedy. When such persons cross national borders themselves in committing violations against migrant workers, origin countries must cooperate with transit and destination countries to put a stop to their conduct. Sri Lanka has been woefully inadequate on this front. Bilateral agreements with destination countries spelling out how responsibilities are to be shared can be a significant means of providing minimum standards and rights for a country’s citizens. Origin countries can negotiate for greater rights, particularly for less-skilled workers, which conform to international standards, with compliance guaranteed by the agreements.

Exploitation can also be reduced by providing access to regular migration and the formal labour market. Agreements can contain provisions on such things as how origin and destination countries will cooperatively manage pre-departure and return processes, transfer social security earnings or allow portability of pensions. They can also contain dispute settlement procedures and remedies for violation of rights. These agreements are most effective when they contain specific mechanisms and procedures for solving problems and grievances, such as monitoring missions or joint committees with representatives from the countries involved. Another effective means of intervention and protection by origin countries is to establish consular services with labour attaches and both male and female staff to whom migrant workers may come for assistance. This is particularly important in countries where a large number of their citizens work, such as the Middle East in the case of Sri Lanka. This is all the more important since this region has the bulk of unskilled and female workers, which are the two most vulnerable groups. A range of countries, including Philippines, Egypt, Mexico and Tunisia, are assisting migrant workers to protect their rights through better choices and stronger legislation. Surely it is time for Sri Lanka to do the same.

Safer migration should not result in limiting women’s employment options. Policymakers must increase their accessibility to the job market to allow women to still grow and be financially independent as well as make significant contribution to the economy. That is the road to true empowerment.