PRESS RELEASE: LegCo Meeting on Domestic Helper Rules, Following Torture Case


LEGCO MEETING this THURS: Gov’t meeting on Domestic Workers & Agency Rules

The HK govt’s Legislative Council Panel on Manpower  will hold a committee meeting on Thursday to discuss: “Policies relating to foreign domestic helpers and regulation of employment agencies” on 27th Feb, 14:30-17:30, Conference Room 2 of LegCo complex. Agenda.

HK Helpers Campaign has made a submission. Barrister-at-law and legal advisor to the Campaign, Rob Connelly, has also made a separate submission…

Over 50 groups will attend this meeting, highlighting the importance of this issue for the people of Hong Kong. A number of these groups such as Amnesty International, Helpers for Domestic Helpers (HDH), the Civic Party and others are supportive of an improvement in rules for domestic workers, while others are not, such as the Liberal Party and the Hong Kong Employment Agencies Association Ltd.
Contacts:
HK Helpers Campaign LegCo submission: Contact us.
Rob Connelly’s LegCo submission: Journalists – contact us for info.
AMCB-IMA submission: Sringatin: (69920878) sringhk@gmail.com or Eman Villanueva (97585935), amcb.hk@gmail.com
PROTEST this WED: Demo by Justice for Erwiana Committee 
The Justice for Erwiana Committee will hold a demonstration tomorrow to protest Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok’s misleading comments regarding the myth of helper ‘job hopping’. The SCMP printed an Op-Ed from barrister-at-law & HK Helpers Campaign legal advisor, Rob Connelly today’ on this topic. Demonstrators are gathering 27th Feb, at 11:30am, MTR exit A5 to proceed to Immigration Tower at 12noon.
Contacts:
Justice for Erwiana Committee: Sringatin: (69920878) sringhk@gmail.com or Eman Villanueva (97585935), amcb.hk@gmail.com
HK HELPERS CAMPAIGN REP MEETS BURMESE ARRIVALS: Distributed help info at airport
On Monday, a member of the HK Helpers Campaign team met with helpers from Myanmar arriving at the airport. We distributed a concise list of helplines, support networks, advice and rights information in their language. Some helpers were not aware of the HK emergency number; all had been trained to approach their agency if in danger. Burmese helpers are vulnerable as they have limited English/Cantonese skills, no support networks in HK, are not internet-savvy and few other Burmese helpers to turn to.
Contacts:
HK Helpers Campaign for more information: Contact us.