Cambodia Sends First Batch of Domestic Workers to Hong Kong - FreedomUnited.org

Cambodia Sends First Batch of Domestic Workers to Hong Kong

  • Published on
    December 28, 2017
  • Written by:
    Jamison Liang
  • Category:
    Domestic Slavery, Human Trafficking
Hero Banner

Cambodia sent its first batch of domestic workers to Hong Kong this Wednesday as the city tries to meet its growing demand for live-in maids.

Hong Kong has over 300,000 migrant domestic workers — largely from the Philippines and Indonesia — but as high-profile abuse scandals of these workers have come to light, recruitment channels are beginning to open up in neighboring countries like Cambodia where the average monthly wage is a mere $100.

This first batch of Cambodian domestic workers was part of a pilot project in which six Hong Kong recruitment agencies were allowed to recruit Cambodians. Fourteen Khmer women were trained and taught basic Cantonese before flying to the city.

The Manila Times reports:

Seik Malay, 30, told AFP said she made the painful decision to leave her nine-year-old daughter behind in Cambodia to earn $550 a month on a two-year contract in Hong Kong. “With that salary, I will be able to support my family,” she said, adding that she was not worried about the potential for mistreatment at the hands of Hong Kong employers.

Ngoy Rith, deputy chief of Cambodia’s labor department, who is traveling to Hong Kong with the maids, downplayed concerns about exploitation despite a recent slew of cases of abuse.

“We have already prepared everything to handle those concerns,” he told reporters before departure. He said each Cambodian maid would be allowed to use a smartphone to contact their relatives or officials if they needed help.

Cambodia plans to dramatically increase the numbers of domestic workers sent to Hong Kong, aiming to send 1,000 women next year.

A 2016 report by the NGO Justice Centre found that one in six foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong are subject to forced labor and recruitment agencies are infamous for confiscating workers’ passports and charging excessive placement fees that trap workers in debt.

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

This week

Migrant workers jailed in Qatar over demands for owed wages

Five months on from the World Cup final, migrant workers continue to report exploitative labor practices and mistreatment at the hands of Qatari authorities. Three former security guards have been jailed in Qatar for four months following their repeated requests for unpaid wages from their employer, Stark Security Services. Though lauded by FIFA as an opportunity to improve Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers, workers who toiled to make the world’s

| Friday May 26, 2023

Read more