Taken from the report Making it Work: how to protect child domestic workers from exploitation and abuse.
Research has found that young domestic workers experience verbal abuse and discrimination in the household, even by the employers’ children, and are often spoken to in different tones than family members use with one another. Physical abuse such as beatings and denial of food are commonplace.
Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment and abuse, which can lead to unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV infection, as well as psychological trauma.
As young domestic workers living in the homes of their employers are significantly more likely to experience conditions consistent with the worst forms of child labour than those who are not dependent on their employer for board and lodging, it is recommended that young domestic workers are not required to sleep in employers’ homes.
Cases of injury or physical harm to young domestic workers often come to light when the young person is taken to hospital. Hospital staff can make use of referral systems that enable appropriate emergency care for young people to be provided by local organisations or social welfare institutions looking after vulnerable or abandoned children.
In some cases it may be necessary to rescue the young person, with police help, and place them in appropriate emergency care.
Examples:
In India, in cases where the abuse of young domestic workers is identified, referral procedures have been developed by one nationwide organisation that are based on the seriousness of the case.
In, Tanzania, prevention work with community members and street leaders in ‘community action groups’ and ‘end violence groups’ has reduced domestic violence between couples and in the household. Over 1,800 group members take the lead in organising community dialogues, community theatre, video shows, and public discussions in their own streets and communities.
Community outreach and monitoring of employers
This can be achieved through centre-based programmes that encourage productive engagement with employers. Programmes establish community networks to monitor child rights abuses in the neighbourhood and promote changed attitudes towards child employment and a reduction of violence in the home.
Examples:
In Tanzania a women’s health organisation uses its centres as a base for outreach into the community. Their policy is to hold meetings and training workshops on child rights and child protection issues with community leaders, community members and influential people. As a result of establishing these contacts, a task force for child rights, protection and advocacy has been formed in each neighbouring ward. These task forces work hand in hand with the staff of the centres to identify and withdraw young people in hazardous domestic work. Each community now has its own counsellors and peer educators, and an ‘association of responsible employers’ has also been set up.
In Cambodia, awareness-raising sessions have been run for local leaders, police representatives, householders and children. These community members are then sensitized to report any instance they come across where a young domestic worker is particularly at risk.
‘Allo 111’ – a Togo-based hotline for abused children has proved very useful in monitoring abuses of child domestic workers. Its success has prompted a call to extend the service for longer hours.
Services for victims of abuse and hotlines to report abuse:
Children who have suffered from abuse, violence or gross exploitation need a wide range of service responses, including temporary shelter in a caring setting, professional counselling, legal advice, and longer-term assistance with family and social reintegration.
These services can be provided by networks of service providers or through establishing alliances with care-providing agencies to ensure young domestic workers receive comprehensive support.
Where young people need emergency assistance telephone hotlines can put them in touch with the right agencies and, if necessary, help organise the rescue of the young person.
Examples:
In Uganda, a crisis centre has been set up where young people who have run away from home, or who have been withdrawn from domestic work, can stay before the process of rehabilitation, reintegration with their families, or some other solution to their situation has been worked out. Usually they are referred by a local councillor or volunteer, who may provide the bus fare and other help needed to leave their employment. Rehabilitative services at the centre include counselling, medical care, and nutrition; recreation, skills training, peer group work and school placement are also provided.
The Philippines has 24-hour hotlines to receive reports of child and adolescent domestic abuse and facilitates rescues and referrals. The hotline is run by staff from a local NGO who pass on information from young domestic workers to local government Quick Action Team partners. After checking data and holding a quick planning session, rescue operations are conducted by police and/or social services. The rescued child is then placed in the custody of a child-care institution.
In Nepal a ‘community rehabilitation’ strategy has been adopted which involves placing children with another family in a similar income bracket as their own for a time, until the case is worked out and they can go home. The families are trained in advance and sensitized to child domestic workers’ issues. The advantages are that community responsibility towards children and young people is enhanced, low-income families strengthened, and the programme is more cost-effective and sustainable.
Legal redress for victims of abuse:
The issue of protection is important to young domestic workers, who need to feel that the authorities are on their side both in spirit and in practice.
With the assistance of social workers or NGO intermediaries, young domestic workers can report abuse and obtain redress.
In the case of rescued children or young people who have suffered abuse, through careful consultation with the child, her family, the police and other advisors abuse can be taken up with the employer and compensation secured or a case brought before court.
Local offices of Ombudsman for Childhood can be established to hear accusations of violence, abuse and exploitation against adolescents working in private households.
Example:
In Cambodia, a local NGO published thousands of cards with pictures of singers and celebrities on one side, and hotline information on the other. These were distributed to students, garment factory workers, and local authorities in seven districts of Phnom Penh. As a result, child domestic workers have been rescued. In one case, a case was filed against an employer which secured the girl’s release and compensation from the householder for physical abuse.
