CHANAN is collaboration with Asia Pasific Womens, Law and Development APWLD Thailand initiatiated a Research Project on Domestic Working women in the 5 district of Provence Punjand including Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Kasur and Sialkot from July 2012- June 2013. The focuse of the research is to identify the true pictures on the human rights violation of domestic working women in Pakistan, as well as to find the true fact and figure for the violation issues of the direct beneficiary.
CHANAN conducted this FPAR research at grass-root level to come-up with hidden findings regarding human rights violations of the domestic workers and to highlight their issues for remedies.
This study has produced the following few findings:
- In most cases, Domestic Worker faces allegations for stealing cash, jewellery and other valuables from the owners’ houses.
- Sexual harassment at work places and on the road is one of the major issues faced by the domestic women workers in their daily life. The male-members of the employer’s house does not pay respect to their workers and consider them “a public property”, therefore almost every domestic women worker has gone through under this unpleasant experience of being harassed and many were reportedly rapped.
- Mostly young domestic girls worker become the target of their employers / rapists. They engage them in their houses for services, keep them away from their parents and finally rape them.
- Working women belonging to a religious minority groups were discriminated for their faith and finally forced to convert to another religion, according to this report. The major number of these victims reportedly refused to do so and in result, they were faced several allegations, threats and unpleasant experiences.
- It was also noted that becoming a “blasphemer” against the religion of islam was another threat for Domestic Worker at their work place, if they go opposite to their owner’s will or wish.
- Fighting against poverty, the Domestic Worker keep working even over their set-working hours however are being paid very low against their services which they extend to their masters.
- Financial crises have affected the young girls’ education the most and in result they have become“Domestic Worker” to extend supporting hand to their families, the report states.
