Current age is
21
By
Correspondent
Published Tuesday, January 15, 2013 | Emirates247
Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera
said that the minimum age limit of female migrant domestic aids would be raised
from 21 to 25 besides bringing new conditions to the terms of their employment
contracts in order to strengthen their rights and ensure safety.
He made this announcement during a memorial service
held at a mosque in Colombo for Rizana Nafeek, a Sri Lankan maid who was
executed in Saudi Arabia after being convicted for the death of a four month
old child in her care.
Earlier the minimum age limit for domestic workers was
raised from 18 to 21, he said explaining that no sooner he took over the
ministry, the Government’s policy was to reduce migration of house maids for
jobs in Middle East, Daily News reported.
Ensuring the safety of migrant domestic workers to
Middle East, new terms will be introduced to employment contracts in line with
the laws of labor of Sri Lanka as well as receiving countries.
He urged the elders to act responsibly and stop
sending their underage children for employment abroad by resorting to
falsifying documents and other illegal means.
In a recent interview to Daily News, Chairman of Sri
Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Amal Senalankadikara recalled that his
bureau aims to reduce female migrants for overseas domestic aides’ jobs by 80
to 90 percent by 2020.
He had said “We do not approve female going for
overseas work as domestic aides. However, we cannot put a full stop to it
immediately. Therefore, we have launched a number of programs to upgrade their
skills and find gainful employment in specialised vocations”.
http://www.emirates247.com/news/sri-lanka/uae-alert-lanka-to-raise-minimum-age-for-hiring-overseas-maids-to-25-2013-01-15-1.491164
