Position Paper: Coalition on Migrants’ Rights
— August 14, 2006The Hong Kong foreign Domestic Workers (FDW) are paid a minimum allowable wage (MAW). Each year, the Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China government reviews the MAW. The MAW is again up for review and decision in 2005. The MAW was first implemented in 1987 at HK$2,900 per month; since then and until 1998, it consistently rose due to the strong HK economy and the effective advocacy of migrant and local workers’ groups.
The MAW was implemented as one of the ways of protecting the wage and situation of FDWs in Hong KongHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China, who are among the lowest paid sectors of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China society. A majority of FDWs come from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, and are also mostly women. FDWs contribute over HK$13.7 billion annually to the Hong Kong economy – (almost 1% of HK’s GNP), [study made by AMC in September 2004] . In spite of this significant contribution FDWs remain one of the groups most vulnerable to abuse, contract violation, discrimination, and reduction in their wages/benefits. These vulnerabilities are due to a combination of structural, policy, gender, racial and class-related factors.
Download the full CMR_CEDAW statement.