Fuelling slavery not fighting it

Kalayaan has produced a briefing showing the dire impacts of tying domestic workers to their employers. Findings from reports made by workers to Kalayaan over the last year make it clear that treatment has worsened for those on the tied visa and that those who do escape are being driven underground.

These findings make it more imperative than ever that the rights contained within the original migrant domestic worker visa are reinstated.

Highlighting the issues behind hidden slavery
Kalayaan was delighted with the opportunity to meet the Prime Minster and to raise with him directly the ways in which the tied migrant domestic worker visa both facilitates, and prevents escape from, slavery.

On the 22nd April 2013 the Prime Minster opened the Human Trafficking Foundation's Hidden Slavery Exhibition in the House of Commons. The exhibition featured two migrant domestic workers who had escaped slavery. One was on the original migrant domestic worker visa and so had been able to move on with her life. The second was on the tied visa and still underground, in limbo and unable to access justice.

Out of the frying pan into the fire

The 6th April 2013 marks the first anniversary of the removal of basic rights protections from migrant domestic workers including the vital right to change employers allowing workers to escape abuse. We are beginning to see the effects of these changes with workers who entered on the new visa being criminalised and driven underground to further exploitation.

Report on Domestic Workers from ILO

The International Labour Organisation has released new global statistics on domestic workers. You can see the report here.

Photo Credit: Ila Mehrotra

"That's not work, it's slavery"

Hundreds of migrant domestic workers gathered outside parliament on the 4th Sept to protest against the changes.

Watch Kalayaan's video on why the protections for migrant domestic workers are so important

Protect migrant domestic workers in the UK from Kalayaan on Vimeo.

With thanks to Hardcash productions

Please note that the person assisting a domestic worker in this clip is not a Kalayaan employee. Kalayaan would not approach an employer at their residence.

For domestic workers:

These changes will not affect you if you are already in the UK. They will also not affect people who apply for entry clearance or enter before 6 April 2012. The UKBA have confirmed you will stil be able to change employer, apply for settlement after 5 years and apply to bring your dependents (as long as you meet the requirements). You can read what the UKBA say here.

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Domestic Workers - join the self help Union group Justice 4 Domestic Workers

http://www.j4dw.org/

Are you employing a migrant domestic worker? Would you like to respond to the Government?

If you are an employer and would like to let the Government know your views, Kalayaan would encourage you to do this. It is important that the Government hear concerns from people with different perspecitves on the issue. You will find notes on how you can help here. The best things you can do as an employer are to write to your MP (template letter here) or to fill out a consultation response (see above).

Alarming proposals could mean a return to slavery for migrant domestic workers in the UK

Click here to see Kalayaan's briefing on the consequences of the Government proposals for migrant domestic workers and the reasoning behind the proposals, which is found to be flawed.

On the 9th June 2011 the Government announced a Consultation on Employment Related Settlement, Tier 5 and Overseas Domestic Workers.
Kalayaan condemns these proposals which, if made law, could mean a return to slavery for migrant domestic workers in the UK.
They include options to either abolish the route for migrant domestic workers to enter the UK, leaving them open to being brought into the UK by employers through informal routes in breach of immigration controls, or to restrict them to a 6 or 12 month non renewable visa, and to remove the right to change employers even if severely abused.
Removing the right to change employer would mean a return to bonded labour.  The visa has been recognised as the main protection for this group of workers who are already especially vulnerable to severe exploitation including slavery and trafficking for domestic servitude. Removing the visa altogether would increase trafficking via illegal routes and unlawful working leaving those workers believing they are unable to contact the authorities for assistance and with few if any enforceable rights.  Limiting the length of the visa makes it likely that unscrupulous employers would keep workers working for them beyond the length of the visa, again without any recourse to meaningful legal protection against even severe exploitation.
The Government claims that anti trafficking measures can replace protections provided by the visa. Kalayaan, together with many others working with victims of trafficking, hve real doubts about how effective these measures are in practice for all victims. Nor do anti trafficking protections do anything to protect an individual before they are trafficked or to assist those who have been severely exploited but whose abuse does not meet all the trafficking criteria.
It is vital that we take action now, before these proposals are implemented. Please watch this space for campaign actions and please do get involved to prevent this move towards state sanctioned slavery.

Photo credit: Leticia Valverdes, Kalayaan and Oxfam

Ending the abuse: Policies that work to protect migrant domestic workers

Kalayaan's new report draws on evidence collected over the last decade and demonstrates that migrant domestic workers are highly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. The research shows the the 'Overseas Domestic Worker (ODW) visa is an inexpensive and effective way of protecting MDWs, and that without this legal channel trafficking of domestic workers via illegal routes could increase. There are however areas in which urgent action is needed to improve protections particularly for domestic workers who enter the UK accompanying diplomats. These workers are shown to be 20 times more likely to be in slavery than those who work in private households.

You can download a copy of the report here.

Photo credit: Leticia Valverdes, Kalayaan and Oxfam

New requirement for visa applications - employer passport

New visa forms were brought out by the UKBA on 7 April 2011. In addition to changing the fee (it is now £550 to renew a domestic worker visa in the post), the UKBA are asking that domestic workers provide their employer's passport as evidence of the employer's right to reside in the UK. Normally all documents sent to the UKBA must be originals. Kalayaan have spoken to the UKBA about this requirement and they have agreed that a photocopy of the employer's passport (and visa if the employer is not a British National) is acceptable. A note about this will soon be included in the guidance given to caseworkers (sometimes referred to as the IDIs). Until the note is issued we will provide you with a letter detailing our conversation with the home office so that you can make the caseworker assessing your application aware of this. Please call us to request our help.

Kalayaan is a winner of the Guardian Charity Awards 2010

Kalayaan is delighted to be one of five small charities recognised for our 'extraordinary work with vulnerable people'. As well as a cash prize, the award will give Kalayaan valuable mentoring, support and training. You can find out more on the guardian website.

Migrant domestic workers on a Kalayaan trip to Cambridge