Women migrants in Hong Kong march for rights vs social exclusion and eroding livelihood March 11, 2012

International Women's Day 2012 in Hong Kong:

Women migrants march for rights vs social exclusion and eroding livelihood

March 11, 2012

Photos courtesy of Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body (AMCB)





x 11 March 2012 For reference: Eni Lestari Spokesperson, Tel. No.: (+852) 9608-1475 Women migrants in Hong Kong march for rights vs social exclusion and eroding livelihood Hundreds of Asian women migrants marched today to the Central Government Office to hit policies of social exclusion and erosion of livelihood that they said pervade Hong Kong. Under the banner of the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB) and the International Migrants Alliance (IMA) Hong Kong chapter, the protest action was part of the commemoration of the 101st International Women’s Day. “After more than a century of the women’s day, it is very sad that Hong Kong seems to have not made any significant change in their treatment of the women-dominated foreign domestic workers. Discrimination still very much exists against women migrants and policies that make us vulnerable to various types of violence against women also are in place,” said Eni Lestari, AMCB spokesperson and chairperson of the IMA. Lestari relayed that the protest action was to call for the HK government for a wage increase for FDWs, the removal of the New Conditions of Stay and the ban on Nepali migrant workers, and a stop to exclusion of women migrants from rules that may benefit their rights and wellbeing such as the statutory minimum wage. “Women migrant workers have been integral members of the Hong Kong society but our rights are treated as something that can be disposed of arbitrarily. While we also suffer from the same crisis that impacts many HK households, we are merely given crumbs by way of our wage and labor benefits,” Lestari remarked. Protesters also called for the HK government to help push the ratification of the ILO convention on domestic workers that was approved last year but no country has signed it yet. Lestari said that the enforcement of the convention will help reduce the violations of the rights of domestic workers who are mostly women. Earlier in the day, member organizations of the AMCB also held protest actions in their respective consulates. Indonesian migrant workers rallied against the ban on Indonesian migrants from shifting to another placement agency within the first two years of employment. Lestari said that the ban effectively makes Indonesian migrant workers hostages of recruitment agencies and thus can be exploited through forcible collection of various fees. Filipino migrant workers led a protest action at the Philippine Consulate General to hit the regular oil price hike in the country as well as the Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT) that they said result to skyrocketing prices of goods and services in the Philippines. Price increase, the protesters said, is a burden carried by women as mothers and breadwinners of the family. Meanwhile, regional organizations supporting migrants such as the Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN), Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) and the Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC) launched a book on Women Resisting Crisis and War that depicts the impacts of the current world situation to women and the ways that women struggle. “Our rights are ignored and worse, attacked, both by our respective governments and that of Hong Kong. Thus on this very historic day, we confront forces that seek to further reduce our status as women, as migrants and as workers,” Lestari concluded. # -- ************************************************************************* Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body (AMCB) c/o APMM, No. 2 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR Tel no(s): (852) 3156-2447, 2314-7316 Fax no: (852) 2735-4559 E-mail: amcb.hk@gmail.com Members: Association of Sri Lankans in Hong Kong (ASL-HK) Asosiasi Tenaga Kerja Indonesia di Hong Kong (ATKI-HK) (Association of Indonesian Migrant Workers in Hong Kong) Far-East Overseas Nepalese Association - Hong Kong (FEONA-HK) Filipino Migrant Workers' Union (FMWU-HKCTU) Friends of Thai - Hong Kong (FOT-HK) Overseas Nepali Workers' Union (ONWU) Thai Regional Alliance (TRA-HK) United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-MIGRANTE-HK)











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			x HONG KONG: JOINT LAUNCH OF WOMEN RESISTING CRISIS AND WAR POSTER AND BOOK Posted by Abby Valenzuela on March 12, 2012 · Speech by Cynthia Tellez Migrante Hong Kong Women are in crisis. Women are victims of war and violence. But women – us – also resist. Women migrant workers are no strangers to the impacts of the ongoing and intensifying global crisis. Women migrants feel it both in the country of their employment and their country of origin. In the country of employment, the labor rights of women migrants are continuously eroded. Wages are either slashed or frozen, working conditions are not improved, days-off are denied and abuses are remain rampant. Social exclusion is the rule and laws and policies are made to keep women migrants in the gutter and be second- or third-class citizens. Opportunities and services are kept closed from women migrants. They are contained in stereotyped employment such as domestic work and service industry while many are forced to be sex workers. Many women also become victims of trafficking and white slavery. Meanwhile in the country of origin, widespread landlessness and unemployment push women to extreme poverty. The economic, political and socio-cultural structures in home countries maintain a condition where women from the working, peasant and middle classes are doubly oppressed. Millions of women are forced by this condition to go abroad. Governments of sending countries capitalize on the vulnerability of these women to keep the flow of labor for export flowing, increase government revenues from state exaction, shortchange the right to services of women migrants, and increase the dollar remittance that is needed to keep the country’s economy going. While the crisis rages on, war is used by powerful countries to maintain control of the world and force other countries to fall in line to their dictates. The path of war that imperialists – chiefly the United States – have taken has led to an increase in militarism, fascism and repression of political and civil rights. Many have been killed, displaced from their community, unjustly imprisoned, tortured and suffered from physical and sexual violence. Some of the most heinous crimes in most repressive of times are committed against women. But women’s resistance persists and develops. This action today being led by the International Migrants Alliance – Hong Kong and the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body is a testament to the growing militance of migrant women to confront the condition that oppresses and exploits women. Our most militant salute to all our fellow women who are here right now! Today, as a contribution to the continuing resistance of women, we launch the book “Women Resisting Crisis and War”. It is a collection of experiences of women as we live in a world in crisis and war. It is a collection of stories of how we cope and struggle. It is a valuable source of inspiration as it contains lessons of organizing and empowerment. This book is published by the Asia Pacific Research Network – a network of leading research institutions in the region – and the International Women’s Alliance which is the global formation of grassroots women’s organizations. Members of the APRN in Hong Kong are leading regional NGOs – the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants and the Asian Monitor Resource Centre. We are very proud to share with you this book from women from various countries. From Philippines to East Timor, from Indonesia to Australia and from various other countries, the stories contained in this book are valuable weapons for the continuing struggle of women for liberation and democracy against imperialism and national and gender oppression.

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