Lok Sabha Question No. 2816 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-02
Subject: Exploitation of Women
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: C.S. PUTTARAJU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2816 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2017

## EXPLOITATION OF WOMEN

2816. SHRI   C.S. PUTTA RAJU:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the fact that the Indian women going abroad for jobs are being exploited;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  number  of  complaints received  during  the  last  three  years  in  this  regard,  year  and country-wise, especially from the Gulf countries; and
- (c) whether the Government proposes not to allow women under thirty years of age going to the Gulf countries as maids, and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b) Yes.  Indian  Missions/Posts  in  the  Emigration  Check Required  (ECR)  countries  including  Gulf  Countries  have  reported that  complaints  have  been  received  from  Indian  women  workers, regarding  non-payment  of  salaries  and  denial  of  legitimate  labour rights  and  benefits  such  as  non-issuance/renewal  of  residence permits,  Overtime  Allowance,  weekly  holidays,  working  for  longer hours,  refusal  to  grant  exit/recruitment  -entry  permits  for  visit  to India, refusal to allow the worker on final exit visa after completion of their contracts and not providing medical and insurance facilities etc.  Incidents  of  confinement,  abandoning  of  housemaids  by  their sponsors have also been reported. A statement showing the number of complaints received by the Indian Missions in the 18 Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries, including the gulf countries, during the last three years, year-wise and country-wise, is at Annexure.

- (c) The  Government  has  already  put  in  place  the following measures  to  safeguard  and  regulate  emigration  of  Indian  women workers,  including  maids  holding  ECR  passports,  for  overseas employment in Gulf countries:
- i. All  women  emigrants  (Except  Nurses)  emigrating  on  ECR passports to ECR countries irrespective of nature/category of employment must be above the age of 30 years.

ii. Since  August,  2016,  emigration  clearance  of  all  female workers having ECR passports, for overseas employment in 18  ECR  countries  has  been  made  mandatory  through  six State-run recruiting  agencies only.  These  are  NORKA Roots and Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants (ODEPC) of Kerala, Overseas Manpower Corporation Ltd. (OMCL) of Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh Financial  Corporation  (UPFC)  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  Overseas Manpower  Company  Andhra  Pradesh  Limited  (OMCAP)  of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Overseas Manpower Company Limited (TOMCOM) of Telangana.

- iii. The Foreign Employer is required to deposit a Bank Guarantee equivalent to US $2500 for recruiting each woman worker, in the respective Indian Mission.
- iv. Embassy attestation has been made mandatory in respect of direct recruitment of all ECR passport holder women workers in respect of all ECR countries;
- v. With effect from June 2015, registration of foreign employers in the e-migrate system has been made mandatory.

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NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED FROM INDIAN WOMEN WORKERS  BY  THE INDIAN MISSIONS IN 18 ECR COUNTRIES INCLUDING THE GULF COUNTRIES, DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS

|   S. No. | Name of Countries       | 2014   | 2015   | 2016   |
|----------|-------------------------|--------|--------|--------|
|        1 | Afghanistan             | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |
|        2 | Bahrain                 | 87     | 104    | 84     |
|        3 | Indonesia               | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |
|        4 | Iraq                    | Nil    | 1      | 1      |
|        5 | Jordan                  | Nil    | 2      | Nil    |
|        6 | Kuwait                  | 877    | 1005   | 1206   |
|        7 | Lebanon                 | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |
|        8 | Libya                   | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |
|        9 | Malaysia                | 30     | 21     | 31     |
|       10 | Oman                    | 86     | 140    | 174    |
|       11 | Qatar                   | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |
|       12 | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | 210    | 309    | 440    |
|       13 | Syria                   | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |
|       14 | Sudan                   | 05     | 1      | Nil    |
|       15 | South Sudan             | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |
|       16 | Thailand                | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |
|       17 | UAE                     | 123    | 219    | 239    |
|       18 | Yemen                   | Nil    | Nil    | Nil    |

*****