Protection of women workers

Protection of women workers

GENEVA (AFP): The UN Commission on Human Rights asked for
better protection of women migrant workers against violence as
unemployment and poverty in South and South-East Asian countries
lead an increasing number of women to seek employment abroad.

A resolution of the 53-state commission adopted by consensus
this week calls on countries to adopt and implement legislation
emphasizing the prevention of violence against women and the
prosecution of offenders. Meeting for its annual session in
Geneva, the Commission also encourages governments to take
measures to ensure the protection of women subjected to violence
and that they have access to just and effective remedies,
including compensation.

Specifically, the UN body recommends the sending and receiving
states of women migrant workers to conduct regular consultations
in order to identify problem areas in promoting and protecting
the rights of women migrant workers and ensuring health, legal
and social services for them.

This resolution was adopted as the Special Rappporteur on
violence against women to the Commission noted in her report
published earlier this year that at least 50 percent of the over
10 million Asian migrant workers are women coming from countries
such as Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and
Indonesia.