NGOs Urge Cambodia, Malaysia to Agree on Maid Protection

More than 60 Cambodian and international human rights groups and trade unions yesterday called on Cambodia and Malaysia to reach a bilateral agreement that would guarantee strong labor rights and working conditions for Cambodian maids employed in Malaysia. “The time is ripe for the Cambodian and Malaysian governments to take measures to ensure the rights of domestic workers, including a decent minimum wage, and define the rights and responsibilities of domestic workers, employers and recruitment agencies,” the Cambodian Working Group for Domestic Workers said in a statement, which was endorsed by 20 Cambodian NGOs and 45 groups from Malaysia, Indonesia and other Asian countries. The groups want both governments to reach an agreement that would protect the rights of Cambodian maids in accordance with the International Labor Organization (ILO)’s Convention Concerning Decent work for Domestic Workers, which was adopted last year. …