Lawmakers and politicians have called for effective legislation to be introduced in Myanmar to protect housemaids, as cases of domestic abuse by employers rise.
housemaid-working“These cases are difficult to settle under the present law because these are cases that the law cannot reach effectively," said Phone Myint Aung, an Upper House MP. "Mostly, we can only settle these cases after extreme inhumanity has occurred.”
A key problem is that Myanmar has been slow to form housemaids' associations to protect the rights of housemaids, he said.
“Housekeepers are not factory workers, we should treat them as family members," said Khine Zaw, a lawyer based in Ma Yan Gone Township.
Housekeepers are currently included under Myanmar's labor organization law, but it is less effective in their field. This leaves housemaids without the rights and protection they need.
Phone Myint Aung said, “In Myanmar, housemaids are not given a day off to meet and discuss their issues, which makes them more vulnerable.”
He commented, “The labor law stated in Myanmar, is also acknowledged by the International Labor Organization, but there are weak points as it does not include opinion and advices from those who are presently working in the field.”
