This article was posted at Skoll Foundation‘s website on September 11, 2014 by Sally Kassab
Visayan Forum Foundation is currently promoting two international campaigns with its partner, Walk Free. The first calls on the Philippine government to suspend recruitment agencies accused of abusing overseas Filipino Workers:
“Have you ever worked for more than 18 hours a day? Or been forced to eat garbage? This is how Anne lived as a domestic helper in Kuwait. She was also beaten daily and sexually assaulted by her employer. Anne was trapped in modern slavery. The Department of Justice has identified recruitment agencies linked to modern slavery in Kuwait that continue to operate. Thousands of Filipinos, like Anne, could suffer the same fate if these recruitment agencies are not investigated and suspended.”
The second calls on the Philippines’ social welfare department to deploy social workers to Philippine embassies overseas to aid distressed Filipino workers.
“Social Welfare Officers have been assigned to 8 of the top 11 destination and high-risk countries for Filipinos working abroad. However, Singapore, Taiwan, and Bahrain top the list with nearly 250,000 total overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) but still don’t have Social Welfare Officers in place. Secretary Soliman, please commit to requesting the placement of Social Welfare Officers in Singapore, Taiwan, and Bahrain to help make shelters safer for OFWs.”