Press Release
SINGAPORE NGO'S JOIN FORCES TO LAUNCH NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
“DAY OFF” encourages employers to give domestic workers one regular day off
Singapore, 29th April 2008 - ProminentNon Governmental Organisations; UNIFEM Singapore, HOME and TWC2, are this May joining forces to call on all employers in Singapore to give their foreign domestic workers a regular rest day off.
The new campaign, entitled Day Off, will commence on Labour Day, 1st May with the unveiling of a new website www.dayoff.sg. The site includes information about how to improve the working relationships between employers and domestic workers and a register of supporters for the campaign. The campaign is planned to run through to December 2008.
Approximately 170,000 migrant women are currently employed in Singapore as domestic workers and 1 in 6 Singapore families currently hire one. Day Off aims to educate Singaporean employers on the importance of a rest day for these women and offers advice and practical suggestions on how employers they can make personal adjustments to make this happen and answers some of the questions or concerns they may have about doing so.
The campaign will bea multi-pronged public education campaign including activities such as talks and partnerships with educational institutions, community groups, public and private organisations.
Part of a larger body of work designed to improve the conditions many domestic workers live and work under in Singapore, 'Day Off' seeks to remedy the current condition whereby only 50% of domestic workers are thought to be receiving a regular day off[1].
A day off is critical in creating and maintaining a positive working relationship between employer and employee. It can improve morale and productivity and most importantly empower the domestic worker as an individual. And with so much focus on the importance of a work life balance for all kinds of workers - the campaign is really only asking people to treat others as they would wish to be treated themselves.
Globally, one of UNIFEM's key mandates is to empower women migrant workers, with a specific focus on domestic workers - the bulk of whom are female.
Since 2003, UNIFEM has instituted programs to support domestic worker rights in other destination countries like Jordan and Hong Kong as well as source countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka and The Philippines. The Day Off Campaign in Singapore is a contribution to this global effort to improve the status and well-being of women migrant workers.
Speaking of the Day Off campaign, President of UNIFEM Singapore, Saleemah Ismail said “Foreign domestic workers are productive individuals who make an extremely valuable contribution to Singaporean society. They take care of our homes and our children. And like any other person, they deserve a day off. And because time off is important for anyone's personal development, education, leisure and relaxation as well as for physical, mental and spiritual health this can only result in a win-win situation."
She continues "We hear regularly that some employers may have concerns over what the consequences of giving a day off may be, so through this campaign we hope to allay these fears and burst the bubbles of myths. Then in time perhaps the campaign will encourage employers to give their domestic worker a day off a week, the same benefit that they enjoy at their workplace.”
TWC2 (Transient Workers Count Too) is a Singaporean society concerned with the well being of migrant workers. It promotes its aims through advocacy, research and direct services (mainly its helpline).
John Gee, President of TWC2, explains the necessity for the campaign:“TWC2 has been advocating for a day off since 2003. In 2006, a Standard Employment Contract was introduced that included provisions for a day off. Many people feel that with the Standard Contract, domestic workers now have guaranteed days off. However, the contract has crucial loopholes that negate this. More than a year after the contract has been introduced, we can say with certainty that the issue still remains unresolved.”
Since its set up in 2004, HOME has assisted many domestic workers with advocacy, support, and shelter services. They are very familiar with all the abuses and challenges that domestic workers face, and can attest that the situation is complex. HOME firmly believes that giving domestic workers regular time off is a decent work condition.
Jolovan Wham, Executive Director of HOME said 'Our support is grounded in the fact that in many of the cases that we handle, the domestic worker finds it difficult to seek help and support for her problems because she does not have a day off. Hence she runs away and for some, suicide becomes a tragic option”
He continues “Domestic workers often tell us that having a day off is one of the most important aspects of their job, as they need this time to relax and socialise with friends. Having seen so many domestic workers that have been affected by stress and overwork, we honestly feel that giving a regular day off is quite simply a decent work condition.”
To help make a difference or get involved in the Day Off campaign, people can do the following:
- Ensure they give their foreign domestic worker/s a day off and be proud of this fact.
- Spread the word - talk to friends and family about why they should also give their domestic workers a day off
- Take a look at the website www.dayoff.sg to get tips on how to ensure a positive working relationship with their domestic worker
- Get in touch and invite us to come to your school, society or community group to give a talk about “Day Off’
- Add your name to our individual supporter list – the campaign group want to know that you care!
- Organisations can add their names to the organisation supporter list. To qualify, simply let the members of your organisation (school, company, society etc) know about the campaign
- Volunteer to support this meaningful campaign. We are looking for individuals and organisations to provide support in many different ways, more details can be found at www.dayoff.sg
-Ends-
For more media information about ‘Day Off’ contact:
Lynn Tang, Communications Manager, National Committee for UNIFEM, Singapore
Tel: +65 62386761 or HP: +65 97611730
lynn@unifemsingapore.org.sg
Notes to editors
About UNIFEM Singapore
UNIFEM Singapore was established as a society in January 1998. The organisation functions as a National Committee of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). UNIFEM provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality in developing countries. www.unifemsingapore.org.sg
About HOME
The Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) is a registered society and charity dedicated to the concerns of migrant workers in Singapore. We achieve this through rights advocacy and community awareness building. At the same time, HOME responds to displaced migrants with welfare programs and services, as well as empower them through vocational skills training for employability and livelihood development. www.home.org.sg
About TWC2
TWC2 (Transient Workers Count Too) is a Singaporean society concerned with the well being of migrant workers. It promotes its aims through three means, Advocacy, Research and Public Education. Advocacy includes public education, dialogue with interested parties, and seeking changes in practices and regulations concerning foreign workers. Research underpins advocacy and helps to inform discussion: the results have come out in six research papers and various articles. Direct services are mainly represented by TWC2’s helpline. The members of TWC2 have been working on improving the rights of foreign domestic workers since 2003. For more information, visit www.twc2.org.sg
