Employment Discrimination Against Disabled and Migrant Workers in China

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – Human Rights Watch said that despite recent positive steps taken by the Chinese government, discrimination against persons with disabilities continues in China.  Human Rights Watch applauded the Chinese government’s enactment of a variety of new laws including the Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons, Regulations on the Education of Persons with Disabilities, and the Regulations on Employment of Persons with Disabilities, which on paper provide impressive protections of the rights of China’s estimated 82.7 million persons with disabilities.  However, these protections have meant little to persons with disabilities and their advocates in China who struggle to promote their rights and, in particular, to fairly compete for employment, said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.

According to a 20087 survey conducted by the China University of Political Science and Law, 22 percent of the 3,454 respondents in10 major cities said their physical disabilities had prompted employers in both the public and private sectors to reject them for jobs.  Official statistics show that the number of employable people with disabilities did not have jobs rises by 300,000 per year since 2007. Although the government has imposed a mandatory quota requiring that people with disabilities comprise a minimum of 1.5 percent of all employees of government departments, enterprises, and institutions, there is little evidence of official efforts to enforce that quota.

Furthermore, 200 million migrant workers in China are still facing employment discrimination and services for them are not in place.  “Migrant workers have lower pay and worse welfare than urban workers,” said Li Zhuobin, a member of the Standing Committee of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at a meeting on balanced development between urban and rural areas.  He purposed the Chinese government to implement the salary deposit rule in a variety of industries.  The salary deposit rule requires employers to deposit a certain amount of money in a special labor department bank account. The money is used to pay migrant workers whose employers don’t pay them. The rule has been implemented in the construction industry.  Li also suggested that preferential policies to promote employment should cover both urban and rural residents and local governments should continue lifting discrimination rules against migrant workers.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Beijing makes big efforts to help disabled, but hurdles remain – 04 September 2008

Human Rights Watch – China: As Paralympics Launch, Disabled Face Discrimination – 05 September 2008

XinHua – Chinese advisor urges ending discrimination against migrant workers – 02 September 2008

High Rate of Unnatural Deaths Among Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon – On August 26, Human Rights Watch called on the Lebanese government to address the high rate of unnatural deaths of migrant domestic workers.  Since January 2007, at least 95 migrant workers have died in Lebanon.

Of these 95 deaths, 40 are classified as suicide, while 24 others were caused by workers falling from high buildings, often while trying to escape their employers. By contrast, only 14 domestic workers died because of diseases or health issues.  Key factors pushing these women to kill themselves or risk their lives are forced confinement, excessive work demands, employer abuse, and financial pressures.

A 2006 survey quoted by HRW showed 31% of 600 domestic workers interviewed were not allowed to leave the home they worked in.  “Many domestic workers are literally being driven to jump from balconies to escape their forced confinement,” said Nadim Houry, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“Domestic workers are dying in Lebanon at a rate of more than one per week…All those involved – from the Lebanese authorities, to the workers’ embassies, to the employment agencies, to the employers – need to ask themselves what is driving these women to kill themselves or risk their lives trying to escape from high buildings,” said Houry.

In early 2006, an official steering committee was established to ease the problems of domestic workers. The committee has three main goals.  First, to create standardized employment contracts in Arabic, English, French and the native language of the worker. Second, to publish a booklet detailing the rights and obligations of employers and employees, to be distributed at airports, ministries and recruitment agencies.  Lastly, to formulate a new law for migrant workers.

But according to Houry, “to date” the committee “has failed to deliver any concrete reforms … it’s time for the Lebanese government to show real leadership and actually deliver” these promises, he said.

For more information, please see:

The Daily Star – Domestic Workers Risking Death to Flee Employers – 27 August 2008

BBC – Lebanon Maid Deaths Cause Alarm – 26 August 2008

HRW – Annex: Deaths of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon – 26 August 2008

HRW – Lebanon: Migrant Domestic Workers Dying Every Week – 26 August 2008

High Rate of Unnatural Deaths Among Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon – On August 26, Human Rights Watch called on the Lebanese government to address the high rate of unnatural deaths of migrant domestic workers.  Since January 2007, at least 95 migrant workers have died in Lebanon.

Of these 95 deaths, 40 are classified as suicide, while 24 others were caused by workers falling from high buildings, often while trying to escape their employers. By contrast, only 14 domestic workers died because of diseases or health issues.  Key factors pushing these women to kill themselves or risk their lives are forced confinement, excessive work demands, employer abuse, and financial pressures.

A 2006 survey quoted by HRW showed 31% of 600 domestic workers interviewed were not allowed to leave the home they worked in.  “Many domestic workers are literally being driven to jump from balconies to escape their forced confinement,” said Nadim Houry, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“Domestic workers are dying in Lebanon at a rate of more than one per week…All those involved – from the Lebanese authorities, to the workers’ embassies, to the employment agencies, to the employers – need to ask themselves what is driving these women to kill themselves or risk their lives trying to escape from high buildings,” said Houry.

In early 2006, an official steering committee was established to ease the problems of domestic workers. The committee has three main goals.  First, to create standardized employment contracts in Arabic, English, French and the native language of the worker. Second, to publish a booklet detailing the rights and obligations of employers and employees, to be distributed at airports, ministries and recruitment agencies.  Lastly, to formulate a new law for migrant workers.

But according to Houry, “to date” the committee “has failed to deliver any concrete reforms … it’s time for the Lebanese government to show real leadership and actually deliver” these promises, he said.

For more information, please see:

The Daily Star – Domestic Workers Risking Death to Flee Employers – 27 August 2008

BBC – Lebanon Maid Deaths Cause Alarm – 26 August 2008

HRW – Annex: Deaths of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon – 26 August 2008

HRW – Lebanon: Migrant Domestic Workers Dying Every Week – 26 August 2008

High Rate of Unnatural Deaths Among Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

BEIRUT, Lebanon – On August 26, Human Rights Watch called on the Lebanese government to address the high rate of unnatural deaths of migrant domestic workers.  Since January 2007, at least 95 migrant workers have died in Lebanon.

Of these 95 deaths, 40 are classified as suicide, while 24 others were caused by workers falling from high buildings, often while trying to escape their employers. By contrast, only 14 domestic workers died because of diseases or health issues.  Key factors pushing these women to kill themselves or risk their lives are forced confinement, excessive work demands, employer abuse, and financial pressures.

A 2006 survey quoted by HRW showed 31% of 600 domestic workers interviewed were not allowed to leave the home they worked in.  “Many domestic workers are literally being driven to jump from balconies to escape their forced confinement,” said Nadim Houry, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“Domestic workers are dying in Lebanon at a rate of more than one per week…All those involved – from the Lebanese authorities, to the workers’ embassies, to the employment agencies, to the employers – need to ask themselves what is driving these women to kill themselves or risk their lives trying to escape from high buildings,” said Houry.

In early 2006, an official steering committee was established to ease the problems of domestic workers. The committee has three main goals.  First, to create standardized employment contracts in Arabic, English, French and the native language of the worker. Second, to publish a booklet detailing the rights and obligations of employers and employees, to be distributed at airports, ministries and recruitment agencies.  Lastly, to formulate a new law for migrant workers.

But according to Houry, “to date” the committee “has failed to deliver any concrete reforms … it’s time for the Lebanese government to show real leadership and actually deliver” these promises, he said.

For more information, please see:

The Daily Star – Domestic Workers Risking Death to Flee Employers – 27 August 2008

BBC – Lebanon Maid Deaths Cause Alarm – 26 August 2008

HRW – Annex: Deaths of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon – 26 August 2008

HRW – Lebanon: Migrant Domestic Workers Dying Every Week – 26 August 2008

BRIEF: Myanmar Pro-Democracy Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Misses Meeting with UN Envoy

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar – The detained Myanmar opposition leader, Aung San Sun Kyi, missed a scheduled meeting with a United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.  Mr. Gambari, a UN representative on a five-day mission to push for reconciliation between opposition groups and the military, which has ruled Myanmar since 1962.  He met briefly Wednesday with top leaders from Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, but his planned meeting with Aung San Sun Kyi did not take place.  Nyan Win, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy, said he did not know why Aung San Sun Kyi did not go, but added, the reason could be that Suu Kyi is not satisfied with the present condition during this visit of Mr. Gambari.  Nyan Win also expressed his concern about Aung San Sun Kyi’s health.

Suu Kyi, who has been confined without trial for more than 12 of the past 19 years, was suffering from low blood pressure and was unable to leave her bed, Japan’s Nikkei news agency reported.  In September 2003, Suu Kyi also underwent gynecological surgery, and was hospitalized in 2006 for a stomach ailment.  The junta stopped allowing her physician to visit her home for monthly medical checkups earlier this year, National League for Democracy member Soe Aung said.

For more information, please:

AFP – UN envoy meets Suu Kyi’s party, but fails to see her – 20 August 2008

Bloomberg – Myanmar Opposition Concerned About Aung San Suu Kyi’s Health – 20 August 2008

New York Times – Myanmar: Opposition Leader Misses U.N. Meeting – 20 August 2008