s

Most domestic workers minors

Om Astha Rai

A majority of domestic workers employed by well-off families in major cities of Nepal are minors, states a latest survey report. The survey, conducted by Dr Rudra Gautam, associate professor at the Central Department of Economics of Tribhuvan University (TU), has revealed that 63 percent of domestic workers in nine major cities including Kathmandu and Patan are below 18 years of age.

Though Nepal´s Child Labor (prohibition and regulation) Act- 2000 defines children only below 16 years of age as minors, International Labor Organization (ILO) convention-182 prevents employers from engaging children below 18 years of age in hard labor. Though all children below 16 years of age are considered to be minors, Nepal´s child act only disallows employers to engage under-14 children. However, even the number of under-14 children employed as domestic workers is shockingly high.

The report says that 14 percent of domestic workers are below 13 years of age. They mostly end up as domestic workers due to poverty. Well-off families bring them from villages, assuring their poor parents that they would get better food, clothes and education.

“However, this promise is often broken,” says Sonu Danuwar, founding chairperson of Nepal Independent Domestic Workers Union (NIDWU), adding, “Only some people keep their promises. And, even if some children get chances for study, as promised by their employers, they eventually lose their wages.”
According to the survey assisted by General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), there are over 160,000 domestic workers across the country. Most of them work round the clock. Most of them sleep in cellars, verandahs and corridors.

Low or no wages
Domestic workers either do not get wages or get very low wages, says the survey report. Only 63 per cent of domestic workers have regularly been receiving wages for their works. About 15 per cent of domestic workers, mostly minors, get chances of study instead of their wages. Other workers simply are not paid their wages.

According to the survey, male domestic workers receive monthly wages of Rs 1,940 and female workers get monthly wages of Rs 1,583 on an average. “This is a very low wage,” said Dr Gautam. “Until the recent hike, each industry worker would get Rs 4,600 every month. Even an agricultural worker gets daily wage of Rs 150. But, domestic workers´ wage rates are far below.”
Employers are often heard arguing that domestic workers get free foods and lodges unlike other workers. However, Dr Gautam dismisses employers´ argument, stating that domestic workers, unlike industry workers, work round the clock.

In addition, domestic workers suffer from various forms of physical and psychological tortures. “Some domestic workers have even committed suicides, failing to withstand physical and mental tortures,” said Danuwar. “I have myself witnessed four cases of suicides by minor domestic workers in recent months.”
Dr Gautam says the condition of workers may be worse than what his survey reveals. “We were not allowed to interview domestic workers in many households,” he said, adding, “It is crystal clear that they denied our entry into their houses simply because they have not kindly treated their domestic workers. We got to speak to only those workers whose condition is better to some extent.”

Published on: 1 May 2011 | Republica

Back to list

;