| |
|
EVIDENCE OF WIDESPREAD ABUSE OF
CHILD MAIDS IN THE PHILIPPINES
|
London-based human rights group Anti-Slavery
International has uncovered evidence showing widespread abuse of thousands
of young children employed as maids in the Philippines.
On a recent trip to the Philippines, Anti-Slavery's Campaigns Co-ordinator
Mary Matheson filmed video footage of young maids testifying about
the abuse and economic exploitation they endure. This video footage
will be made available for use by the media on 14 May.
"What is most striking is the number of girls who are forced
to work 20-hour days for no money. Some are locked in their employer’s
house, and have no contact with the outside world. They are subjected
to verbal abuse, physical beatings and even rape," said Ms
Matheson.
"Without even considering the physical and psychological abuse,
the working conditions of some these child domestics is tantamount
to slavery - they are forced to work and they are unpaid,"
she added.
Working with Filipino human rights group Visayan Forum Foundation,
Anti-Slavery interviewed young maids about their experiences. Len
Len, now 14 years old, was repeatedly attacked by her employer and
as a punishment was forced to kneel on a stool for hours with her
arms outstretched holding telephone directories. Six months after
her ordeal she still has the scars to show the beatings she suffered.
Visayan Forum Foundation estimates that a million girls under 18 in
the Philippines work as maids. Some are as young as seven years old
living and working away from their families, on call 24-hours a day,
and unprotected in the house of their employers.
The video footage comes as the Filipino government heads to Geneva
for the International Labour Organisation’s annual conference, where
delegates will be discussing a new Convention on the Elimination of
the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
On 14 May, in the Filipino capital Manila, Visayan Forum is launching
the video as a major initiative to influence the Filipino Government
ahead of the ILO conference to ensure the new Convention has stronger
provisos to protect children who are maids.
Housework - washing and ironing clothes, cooking food, caring for
children - hardly sounds like a dangerous type of work. But evidence
from the Philippines shows that children working as domestics are
extremely vulnerable to both physical abuse and economic exploitation.
|
| Notes to the editors: |
|
The video was shot on digital and is available in Beta SP and VHS
formats.
Anti-Slavery’s Mary Matheson is available for interview in London.
Jonathan Blagborough, Anti-Slavery’s child labour officer and expert
on child domestic work worldwide, is also available for interview.
Black and white prints and colour slides of Len Len and other child
domestic workers in the Philippines are available.
|
| 12 May 1999 |
PR/5/99 |
|
|
