Cambodia to meet Malaysia over maids MoU
The Ministry of Labor said Wednesday that the government has agreed on a final draft of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia regarding sending Cambodian maids to work there, but that no timeframe for the signing of the agreement has been set. Following reports of abuse of Cambodian maids, Prime Minister Hun Sen in 2011 banned the sending of Cambodian migrants to work as domestic servants in Malaysia. The two nations have since been working on an MoU to provide sufficient protections for maids that would allow the ban to be lifted. … According to San Arun, secretary of state at the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the new draft MoU stipulates that Cambodian workers be paid a minimum wage, that contracts be signed prior to their departure, and that employers guarantee health insurance as well as a safe, private and secure bedroom. … In the previous version of the now-revised draft, Malaysia rejected about 90 percent of provisions meant to ensure workers’ rights, and crossed out the section stipulating that employers must “respect the basic human rights of the DW [domestic worker].” … Jenna Holliday, communications officer with U.N. Women, said at the quarterly stakeholder meeting on human trafficking Wednesday in Phnom Penh that Cambodia should take a strong position in upcoming negotiations. …
Denise Hruby and Khuon Narim
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodia-to-meet-malaysia-over-maids-mou-53635/
