Migrant News Letter January 2010
Released by MSC-NWC Sri Lanka

We have recommenced release of our monthly newsletter from. Here we reproduce proceedings of National Forum on Migrant Workers held on 18-11-94 by the NWC-MSC in collaboration with ALFEA Colombo. (Source: Migrant Newsletter Vol. 7 No 1 of 1994) As conclusions of the National Forum 1994 remain valid today, we reproduce this from the past.

A) Proceeding of the National Forum 1994.

Address of Hon. Sirimavo R.D. Bandaranayake - Prime Minister of the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka at the Inauguration of the National Forum of Migrant Workers on18th Nov. 1994
The President of the All Ceylon Federation of Free Trade Union, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

1. Important Subject:
I am happy to be here on this very important occasion when you are discussing the problems of Women Migrant Workers. It is a very important matter. The invitation was extended to me three days ago. Fortunately I was not busy today. So I gladly accepted it because I like to be here when you are conferring on Migrant workers. It is very important subject to all of us women, to discuss.

2. Problem of Female Migrants:
I know the problems that women migrant workers are having because some of them have come to me with their problems. When they go abroad and come they have problem. When they want to go abroad, they have problems. We have to specially take note of the job agencies who deceive these women and take money from them. They have to sell what they own to pay these job agencies. In the end they don’t take them abroad. They leave them in the lurch. So they come to us with their problems. Some of them are send back by those governments because they are not given the jobs they are promised. So these are problems that you have to discuss. They go because they are in great need. They are so poor that they have to go for a job leaving their families. Sometimes when they come back, their families are broken up so these are the problems that we hear of. I am glad that your Federation is taking up this subject which is a very important one, particularly Migrant Women Workers.

3. Problems of Free Trade Zone female workers:
Your conference should discuss the condition of workers here in the Free Trade Zones. They have no rights. The women workers are not supposed to work up to eight, but they are kept till twelve, and they have no proper transport to get back home. So they are stranded on the roads. They have been cheated by various people, as you know what happens in this country. These women workers are not safe on the roads. So these are subjects you have to discuss. Please give your views to the government. We like to have your advice. The government would like to correct these matters. The government is aware of some of them. We want you to confer with all concerned organisations and let us know what your decisions, so that we can see how we can put them right. The last government took away their right not to work at night. So they have to work at night. That is something that we have to correct. When women get stranded on the roads at night they get into trouble. Various social problems arise as a result of their being asked to work till twelve or one at night. They have no place to go and they come to work from far away places. Many of them go from my electorate to Katunayake to work. Some go to Galle, Koggala. So these are problems that you should discuss.

4. Women have more problems - WHAT SHALL WE DO?
These are great problems for women. I don’t say that men don’t have problems. But women have more problems. So we want you to give serious thought to these problems and let the government know what your decisions are; what you would advise us to do; and how to get over these problems, specially the case of women who are deceived by the agencies. Then I think we will have to cancel the license of these agents. In the agencies you find all sorts of people and they make money from these women and promise them that they would send them abroad, but they don’t go. Even if they go they are stranded there. They find nobody there to give them a job. So they go to our missions and Ambassadors and our representatives and worry them to send them back. Then the government had to spend and get them back. So this has to stop. The government can’t afford to go on doing this. I hope you will discuss all this and let the government know what your decisions are, and we can see how we can implement them.

5. Give us good suggestions:
I thank you for having invited me. I was glad to accept your invitation and I am really glad to be with you here today as I am also interested in the subject. I wish your conference all success and your deliberations will help not only migrant workers here but also migrant workers in other countries. I hope your conference will be able to give some good suggestions to the government. The job agencies must be properly dealt with. The poor women are selling their property and what ever they have to go for these jobs. When they borrow money from banks they can’t pay it, so they come and tell us. They are treated so badly in some of these countries. Some of them are even locked up in jail and not paid their dues.
Please consider all this and let us know what your decisions are. Our government will be only too glad to consider your proposals and try to help the migrant women workers and even the men workers. Thank you for inviting me and I wish your conference all success.

B) SPEECH BY MR. TIMOTHY RYAN, AAFLI COUNTRY PROGRAM DIRECTOR

It is my distinct pleasure to offer this brief address to you on the occasion of this national forum on the problem of Migrant Women Workers, and to be a part of this gathering.
Today we will hear many experts outline the problems and some of the solutions to the issues and problems facing women who go abroad to work, often as domestic help.
But first, I want to take us back in to the past.
About a century ago a terrible tragedy that took place New York City in the United
States, had a galvanizing effect on the American labor moment.
That event was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Over a hundred women died when the building where they made garments for the Triangle Shirtwaist Company caught fire and burned to the ground. The building was overcrowded, with no safety features, and the women were locked in, ostensibly to prevent theft many died leaping from the top floor windows in order to escape the inferno. This tragedy spurred the formation and rapid growth of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, one of the most active and dedicated trade unions in the American labor movements.
Many things have changed in the past 100 years; sadly, the attitudes and conditions that led to the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire have not changed much. In Thailand in 1993, 180 women workers also locked in to their toy manufacturing factory, died when a fire broke out and swept through the building in minutes. Earlier in the year, dozens of workers many of them women, died in a fire in chicken processing plant in the United States. There, too, the doors were locked and there were inadequate safety precautions.
What do these industrial disasters have to do with the topic before us today? It seems clear to me that whether women are working in factories in the First World or the Third World, working in their own countries or as migrants in another country, they have a long road before them when it comes to respect for their rights, their safety and their dignity.

The plight of expatriate or migrant women worker who go abroad to work as domestic servants is a topical point of discussion at present. They are often victims of sexual harassments and abuse by unscrupulous job brokers, and their own lack of information and education on how to manage, money or what their rights and responsibilities are under the law - both in Sri Lanka, and the host countries. Moreover their families often suffer also from having a mother, a sister, a daughter; away for so long a period. Solution and programs to assist these workers are few and far between, and often lacking in resources, vision and coordination.
Studies have shown that the foreign exchange, workers earn for Sri Lanka dwarfs all other sources of foreign exchange. This means that these women are tremendous resources for the country, but also should be accorded the attention and the support that they deserve. Today you will hear from a variety of experts on this subject.
This forum on Migrant Women Workers was organized by the All Ceylon Federation of Free Trade Unions because of the significant role migrant women workers play in the Sri Lanka economy, and because they face many hardships and problems. By sponsoring this forum, we hope to focus attention on their plight.
As the Asian institute of the American Federation of Labour - Congress of industrial organization (AFL-CIO), the trade union center of the United States, AAFLI is concerned about workers rights in all aspects - no matter the gender, the nationality, or the job.
In the United States, the AFL-CIO has put issues as women’s rights and child labour at the top of its national and international agendas. Stemming from the experience of workers in America such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, and absolute dearth of laws earlier in the century outlawing child labour, the American labour movement has fought for worker’s rights on these issues for years at home, and in solidarity with our trade union brothers and sisters in other countries around the world.
The trade union movement can assist these women in particular ways, using its own expertise - in education, in advocating labour law reform, in the providing advice and information to migrant workers. Our goal with this forum, however, is encourage NGOs and donor organizations to consider the whole picture of problems - both social and economic - and encourage solutions.
As are you, I am looking forward to the ideas, decisions, and result of today’s program with the intention of developing serious plans of action to bring relief support, and most importantly, empowerment to the women who sacrifice so much for their family, their home, and their country.

C) AN OVERVEIW OF THE MIGRANT WOMEN WORKERS’ PROBLEMS

EXCERPTS FROM PRESENTATION MADE BY COLONEL NISSANKA WIJERATNE, CHAIRMAN, SRI LANKA BUREAU OF FOREIGN EMPLOYMENT.
AT THE NATIONAL FORUM ON MIGRANT WORKERS 18-11-94

Mass migration of Sri Lankans for employment came about in the late 1970’s due to infrastructure developments and massive inputs into economic development in the Middle East and few African countries. At present, the main importer of migrant labour is the Middle East, with an estimated migrant population of 6.0 million of which the Sri Lankan population is estimated at 40,000.
The migration of South Asian Women to Middle East in large numbers started after the sudden accumulation of wealth due to the oil boom in 1973. Now, having a housemaid has become a sign of social prestige to the Arab families thus creating a big demand. Apart from the Middle East, there is a demand for house-maids in some of the far Eastern countries, such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
Major Receivers of Sri Lankan housemaids are :
Saudi Arabia - 45%
Kuwait - 19%
U.A.E - 18%
Oman - 6%
Qatar - 4%
Bahrain - 3%
It is interesting to note that the migration of the Sri Lankan females which was only a trickle of 7% of the total in 1978 increased to 71% of the total in 1992. Out of the total female migration in 1992, a very significant proportion of 67% was housemaids. most of the balance of the total female migrants were garment factory workers.

1. NEW PROGRAMME FOR FOREIGN EMPLOYMENT

The Peoples Alliance government has launched a programme to generate employment opportunities to 1.0 million within next 2 years out of which 300,000 will be through foreign employment. The present policy is to encourage the migration of more males and females factory workers rather than female housemaids. Towards this objective, whatever additional incentives offered will be limited to migration of males and female factory workers. Even in these categories, it is intended to concentrate more on skilled jobs rather than commonly available unskilled jobs. As such, the future policy will be to provide greater incentives to a
qualitative and quantitative improvement of migration for employment.

Another major shift, in policy is that the SLBEF in future will be vigorously involved in the recruitment for foreign employment which would be evident from the increased number of advertisements that appeared in the news papers recently. The intention is to compete with the private recruiting agents so that the opportunities for exploitation by them will be reduced. It is a known fact that most of the private recruiting agents charge exorbitant commissions from migrant workers even though they cannot charge any commission legally. The legal provision is every migrant worker has to pay only the SLBFE charges through a bank of which amount of 70% is reimbursed by SLBFE to the recruiting agent as his legally entitled commission. But this provision had been observed in default in the past.

2. PROBLEMS FACED BY FEMALE MIGRANTS
Problems faced by the female migrants could be identified in the following three stages:-
a) Prior to departure
b) On the job
c) After returning

2.1 Problems Prior to Departure

a) Most of the housemaids are sent without any training or orientation programme. At present there are only three training centres established by the SLBFE at Kegalle, Kurunegala and Colombo. Apart from this, there are no other training centres in operation anywhere in Sri Lanka.
In contrast to the situation here, in the Philippines, predeparture skills training has been made mandatory. The training course which the Filipino maids have to follow is of 60 days duration and the course fee is usually US$ 35 - 40
The normal housemaid course conducted by the SLBFE is a very basic course lasting 7 days which is inadequate. For even a reasonably basic course, the duration should be preferably 2 weeks which should ideally be residential.
The present intention is to have one training centre and a branch office in each district. But the SLBFE is faced with many logistic problems including finance. It is much preferable, if this training orientation programme could be given free, considering the very poor background of the target group.
We may assume that about 50% of the expected number of 90,000 housemaids will be those going for the second time. Even then training of 45,000 housemaids within 1 year i.e. about 2000 at any given time is an enormous task. This cannot be handled by SLBFE alone. With an average batch size of 30, this will need approximately 65 training centres.
Considering the grave situation, it will be much appreciated, if assistance could be extended by various organizations, similar to AAFLI, which are concerned with the welfare of women workers, in establishing and operating such training centres.

b) Duped by Bogus Agents
As per the SLBFE Act, no Sri Lankan can migrate for employment without registering with the Bureau. But this has not been strictly enforced in the past as nearly 60% go through the Airport without any reference to the Bureau. Already Hon. Minister of Labour and Vocational Training has held discussions with the controller of Emigration on how best this legal provision could be implemented. It is hoped that necessary arrangements will be made soon to reduce the possibility of agents, both licensed and unlicensed, sending Sri Lankans to work abroad without the Bureau registration.
Apart from this many incentives will be made available to those who migrate after registering with the Bureau. These include;
(i) Special labour rate air ticket and B.T.T. Waiver.
(ii) Compulsory insurance with a cover of Rs. 100,000 /-.
(iii) Bank loan to cover cost of ticket and other statutory levies.
With the above and more strict enforcement of the law, it is hoped that the duping by bogus agents will be reduced.

c) Domestic Arrangements
It is needless to mention the problems that will arise due to the separation of the mother, especially when most of these migrants have young children. When interviewed, many migrant housemaids expressed a wish to have an arrangement to look after the children; for which most of them were even willing to pay a reasonable fee.
Another aspect that needs attention is the lack of a counselling service to advice the husband and other family members to manage in the absence of the wife/mother and also on how best the money sent from abroad could be utilized.

2.2 Problems From Employment
There is basic difference in the problems faced by the housemaids and other female factory workers. The difficulties are;
Housemaids

01. Initial difficulty in getting used to a different culture and languages.
02. Unfamiliarity with the household appliances and food.
03. Non payment/under payment of wages.
04. Lack of communications. The housemaid is not allowed to write home or receive letters.
05. Physical and sexual harassment.
06. Premature termination.
07. Keeping the housemaids even after the contract period is over.
08. Long working hours and back breaking work.
09. Sickness and undetected pregnancy at departure from Sri Lanka.
10. Sickness of family members and sometimes death.
11. Left stranded.

Factory Workers

01. Non-Payment of wages and OT.
02. Poor working and living conditions.
03. Poor quality of food.
04. Longer working hours than contracted.
05. Not allowing to return after completing the contract.
2.3 Problems after returning
01. Inability to settle loans due to early return.
02. Lack of sufficient saving leading to the need to have multiple trips.
03. Due to the exposure to new life style difficulty in the reintegration into the family and village.
04. Financial mismanagement.
05. Trauma and other medical problems of those who were subjected to harassment which needs long term treatment and counseling.
06. Marital problems due to alcoholism or infidelity of spouse.
07. Neglect of children resulting in Drug addiction, absence from school, sickness etc.

Sri Lanka: Placement by Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies and the Bureau 1986 - 1992 (in persons)
 

D) Conclusions

Conclusions of the National Forum on Migrant Women Workers held on 18/11/94 at Colombo.

01. The state to take full responsibility for Female Migrant workers who go for employment abroad and families of such migrants. Sufficient funds to be made available through the budget to enable concerned government agencies, particularly Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Labour and Vocational Training, to provide a package of welfare and protective services.
02. State Agencies to sensitize government officials including Heads of Sri Lanka Missions abroad, Employers, Employees, Job agents and Travel agents on the issue of Migrant Female Workers.
03. State Funds be provided on a Regular basis to agencies in the Public and private sector engaged in conducting training, empowerment and resettlement programmes. Such agencies include Trade Unions, NGO’s and People’s Organizations currently engaged in Awareness raising on Rights of Migrant Workers; the care of children left behind by Migrant Women Workers; and dealing with subject like Disease, Delinquency, Drug abuse, use of Narcotics and Alcohol especially for spouses and dependents of Migrant Women Workers.
04. In order to overcome chronic indebtedness of Female Domestic Workers a revolving fund be established within the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training to advance monies towards meeting expenses of premigration costs including purchase of Air Tickets whenever such costs are not met by overseas sponsors or local job agents. Resources of the SLBFE (Workers Welfare Fund) and the E.T.F. should be used for this purpose.
05. The government of Sri Lanka to negotiate and conclude Female Workers protection agreement on a bilateral basis with government of receiving countries. Such agreements among other matters should provide for contracts of employment and deployment of Female Labour Welfare Offices in such Sri Lanka Missions.
06. The government of Sri Lanka to pursue vigorously attempts towards the opening of Embassies in Colombo of governments of labour receiving countries.
07. In order to ensure the principle of Reciprocity, Employers of Female domestic servants in Sri Lanka be required to offer a basic written contract of employment specifying agreed wages and conditions of employment. This may be done by amending Domestic Servants Ordinance. However, in order to ensure flexibility
and active support of employees, services of the labour inspectorate may be replaced by enlisting services of family visitors appointed for this purpose.
08. The meeting emphasized the role of Trade Unions in the protection and welfare of Female Migrant Workers and agreed that Women Migrant workers be better protected through unionization prior to migration.
09. To ensure safety and self respect and eliminate harassment and suffering at the hands of irresponsible Job Agents, illegal Job operators and racketeers, charging illegal fees, recruiting illegally, stranding workers abroad, collecting “Key Money” in advance on promise of jobs, be treated as serious offences. The SLBFE Act should be amended to tighten the law.
10. Training for first time Female domestic workers should be made mandatory and such training provided by the SLBFE at their expense with the collaboration of NGO and recognized peoples organization.
11. Incentives should be provided to job seekers who use placements services of the SLBFE.
12. AAFLI with ACFFTU shall sponsor programmes that emerge from different fora engaged in protection and welfare of Female Migrant Workers as considered necessary.

Action on above conclusions have been taken in respect of items listed below:-

1. Sri Lanka has adopted a new Policy on Migration
2. SLBFE takes full responsibility for those who leave after registration with Bureau and senstisation for Stakeholders has been initiated.
3. SLBFE law has been amended. Accordingly of SLBFE Amendment Act 4 of 1994 on preventing Bribery and Corruption declared the SLBFE to be a scheduled institution for this purpose
4. SLBFE amendment Act No 56 of 2009 speaks of other matters:-
a) Authorized the bureau to examine documents
b) Receive social security levies from employers abroad
c) Provide restriction on publication of advertisements without approval.
d) To proceed against charging of unauthorized fees.
e) Officers the SLBFE to be public officers under the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.

B) Letters
i) Chairman writes to Elections Commissioner

04th January 2010

Mr. Dayananda Dissanayake
Commissioner of Elections
Department of Elections
Rajagiriya

Dear Sir,

Voting Rights for Migrant Workers and other Sri Lankans Resident abroad

As a non partisan Social Movement concerned with Welfare and Protection of Sri Lankans resident abroad, we plead with you as the authority conducting the national polls to enable Sri Lanka be an inclusive democracy with a right to all citizens registered to poll to be provided basic facilities to do so.

Under part IV of United Nations Convention 1990 (Which instrument was ratified by Sri Lanka in April 1996) migrant workers and members of their families who are in a documented or in a regular situations (articles 37-56) have rights to participation in public affairs of the State of origin.

Migrant Workers of Sri Lanka are currently unable to exercise their right to vote at any election held in Sri Lanka as travel and other costs for this journey are well beyond their reach. The Human Rights Commission after examining submissions made to them by us recommended a process of ensuring these rights and creating a necessary mechanism to give effect to this recommendation.

International experience shows that several Asian counties like Philippines and Indonesia do permit their migrant workers abroad to exercise the right to vote while staying in destination countries.

At a time when Sri Lankan authorities are making every effort to enlist support of the Sri Lankan Diaspora living abroad to participate in nation building, it also becomes a national responsibility to enlist non resident Sri Lankans in the political process. These Diaspora members numbering around 500,000 or more are resident in countries of so called developed world.

We plead that though time constraints may not permit this process to commence in all countries where Sri Lankans are resident it deserves to be tried out in a few countries which may agree to provide friendly assistance to set up this action.

Yours sincerely
Anton Lodwick
Secretary General – National Workers Congress
Chairman – Migrant Services Centre

From Business Times on Sunday
Sunday January 17, 2010

ii) Political Rights
Voting rights urged for migrant workers, other Sri Lankan residents overseas
A Sri Lankan group working for the rights of migrant workers last week urged the Elections Commissioner to make arrangements for migrant workes and also other Sri Lnakan residents abroad to vote at the January 26 Presidential poll.

Anton Lodwick, Secretary General of the National Workers Congress, and Chairman of the Migrant Services centre (MSC) said ever though there are time constraints in organizing this on a mass scale, “ it deserves to be tried out in a few counties which may agree to provide friendly assistance to set up this action.”

MSC has been campaigning for the voting rights of over one million Sri Lankan workers abroad for many years.

Mr. Lodwick said in a letter to the Election Commissioner that migrant Workers are currently unable to exercise their rights to vote at any election held in Sri Lanka as travel and others costs for this journey are well beyond their reach. The Human Rights Commission after examining submissions made to them by MSC recommended a process of ensuring these right and creating a necessary mechanism to give effect to this recommendation, he said.

“International experience shows that several Asian countries like Philippines and Indonesia do permit their migrant workers abroad to exercise the right to vote while staying in destination countries,” the letter said, adding that: “at a time when Sri Lankan authorities are making every effort to enlist support of the Sri Lanka Diaspora living abroad to participate in nation building, it also becomes a national responsibility to enlist non resident Sri Lankans in the political process.”

He says there are more than 500,000 Sri Lankans resident abroad in addition to the migrant workers.

iii) (From Asian tribune Com, Colombo, 12 January) Sri Lanka National Congress leader and Minister Milinda Moragoda is also of the view that all Sri Lankan nationals living and working abroad should be allowed to vote at elections.

“This will help us to test as to how Sri Lankans overseas feel and what they think about the political environment back at home,” he said in a Statement. He said the country should not forget the contribution made by Sri Lankan workers the world over towards the economy of the country. “They earn the much needed foreign exchange for the up keep of the country, hence they should be made part and parcel of the election process,” he said.

Mr. Moragoda drew parallels with the Indian proposal where the Indian Prime Minister recently emphasized the need to allow Indian expatriates to cast their vote at the next General Elections.

The statement said the Congress is to initiate a petition and consultation process through the Internet by persons living abroad who support this proposal. This petition will electronically seek to collect the signatures living abroad and will be presented to the authorities concerned in the coming month.”

C) The Diaspora
From public (Letter to Media)

i) An Obligatory Investment (Sunday Island 17.01.10)
The Diaspora has a bounden duty to perform here. Their investment on the LTTE was no doubt motivated by their attachment to their native roots. They would never have expected any material returns from the investment. Now that the input has gone stray, the Diaspora should rethink their role in the new scenario and lend a helping hand to their less fortunate brethren to rise from the ashes as they them selves have done in the rich foreign climes to which most of them case as refugees. They should share their luck with those in whose boats they would have been, if not for their initial ability to migrate.

“Today politicians continue to use this war, this monumental tragedy, for political capital in their narrow power game in the south, while the removed and insensitive Tamil Diaspora tries to further polarize people in their home country with their meaningless rhetoric and slogans of trans- tional government.

ii) New Role for Diaspora
There is no shortage of investment ideas. Jaffna’s sweet mangoes and bananas can support several export industries. The Palmyra is another unexploited resource. To these and many more may be added hi-tecl industries that investors have learnt abroad. If the Diaspora invests on this economic revival, half of what it has put on the LTTE arsenal, voluntarily or under threat, their native place would be turned into a Singapore before long.

Politics will take a back seat in such an affluent atmosphere. Even if it surfaces, a Tamil would have gathered adequate confidence and power by then talk to his counterpart on an equal footing, granted that by then the Government would have succeeded in bringing at least the “counterpart’ to his own.

D) Results Presidential Polls(Daily Mirror 27-01-10)
Mahinda Rajapakse 6,015,934 (57.88%)
Sarath Fonseka 4,173,185 (40.15%)
Total voters 14,088,500
Total polled 10,495,451
Total No of candidates 22
Sri Lankans abroad 2.2 million (includes 1.2 million in the Gulf)

E) What President Mahinda Plans in 2011 budget
A “foreign employee trust fund” will be set up for Sri Lankans employed abroad.

A pension fund will be set up for both private and public sector employees who do not receive a pension

The prevailing tax system will be simplified and individual income tax, import tax and tax on production will be reduced
The General Plan of President (Source Sunday Times 17-01-10)
Plan as with the manifesto pledges to improve the income of migrant women workers and inaugurate a Bureau to solve the problems of migrant families. We hope the plan will safeguard women’s right to freedom of mobility and choice of livelihood which include the right to migrate overseas for work.

F) Chinthanaya II
Mahinda Chinthanaya 2010 (source; www. Mahinda2010.com)

i) Primary status for woman is claim to be a natural progression of Mahinda Chinthanaya 2005 and was unveiled on 11th January, MC I pledged to ensure an affectionate family in which the mother is given the foremost place. MC 2 adds that women are the main contributors to the economy of our country in the plantations, the garment industry and as migrant labour it therefore states that women must be accorded not equal status but primary status
( ‘ pramukasthanaya’, under the heading ‘gedera budun amma’. Mother is the Supreme being in the home.)
ii) A Women’s Fund
iii) Equal wages
The manifesto promises to initiate a women’s Fund to assist with self employment and income generation. It also promises equal wages for equal work and
iv) Data base
Data base to provide economic and professional information.
v) Head of Household
At a substantive level the Manifesto commits to create the legal and policy frame work necessary to recognize women who have the main responsibility for family as heads of household.
vi) Grant loans
Another concern is that women play a critical role in the family, economically, as recognized by this Manifesto. Our demand has always been that women’s work and responsibilities within and for the family should be recognized on par with men and women should be given equal status as heads of household. We welcome the promise in MR ll to grant loans, land and other resources of female headed households.
(From Sunday Times 17-01-10)