[Hong Kong] Health, rights of migrant domestics “at risk” amid COVID-19 outbreak

Below is the statement of the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB-HK) on the survey that it conducted among migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Results of the survey is in a separate post.

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Health and labour rights of migrant domestic workers, “at risk” with the COVID-19 outbreak
HK government should ensure comprehensive protection for all
19年冠狀病毒疫情散播下，移民家務工(移工)健康及勞工權利備受威脅
香港政府應確保對所有人的周全保障

The COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent actions by the Hong Kong government have put migrant domestic workers “at risk” due to lack of provision or access to protection, overwork and stress, and discriminatory policies including the mandatory live-in requirement.
19年冠狀病毒的散播及香港政府的跟進行動己把移工置於威脅之下，這基於他們缺乏獲得所需防護、長時間工作及壓力、以至包括強制於僱主家中住宿的多種歧視性措施。

(See attached Results of Online Survey on the Situation of Migrant Domestic Workers during COVID-19 outbreak)
（19年冠狀病毒疫情下移民家務工(移工)工作狀況之網上問卷調查結果見附件）

Lack of provision and access to masks and sanitisers by a significant number of MDWs means many are left unprotected from the virus. As shown by the findings of the survey, over half of MDWs are vulnerable to COVID-19 due to total absence or very limited access to personal protective equipment that can minimize the risk of infection.
不少移工不獲提供及獲得口罩及消毒液，這即是許多被置於對病毒缺乏防護的狀況。據調查結果顯示，超過半數的移工在19年冠狀病毒疫情下十分危險，因他們完全沒有或只獲得極有限可減低感染風險的個人防護物資。

Financial assistance to help cope with additional expenses is also denied to MDWs. The announced cash assistance that can help Hong Kong residents excludes MDWs who have to continue to get from their meagre salary the extra expenses for masks, alcohol, sanitizers, and even supplements that can boost a person’s immune system.
就舒緩所增加的消費的經濟支援，移工亦被排除於外。已公布支援香港居民的現金援助並不包括移工，他們需繼續從微薄工資中支付，口罩、酒精、消毒液及提升免疫力的補充劑，的種種開銷。

The changes in the working and living condition of MDWs are also notable. The prevalence of stress among MDWs due to overworking, the added financial burden, lack of rest and sleep and the prolonged isolation from our community and family actually makes MDWs more vulnerable to various ailments. Discriminatory and exclusionary government policies such as the “mandatory live-in arrangements” for MDWs coupled with the social distancing policy make the situation all the more unbearable physically and mentally for the sector.
移工們的工作及生活狀況的轉變亦甚為顯著。因長時間工作、加重了的經濟負擔、缺乏休息及睡眠及長時間與我們的社群和家庭隔絕，而形成的壓力十分普遍，更使移工易於抱恙。帶歧視性和排斥性的政府政策更對移工們的身體及精神健康像成難以忍受的情況。就好像當針對移工的『強制住宿僱主家中』規定加上『保持社交距離』措施的情況。

During the COVID-19 outbreak, labour rights violations are prevalent. The most common forms are the deprivation of weekly statutory rest day, the over-exposure to harmful chemical cleaning agents and the lack of access to redress and grievance mechanisms.
在19年冠狀病毒疫情中，勞工權利持續地被侵犯。最常見的例子就是移工被剝奪每周休息日，被迫暴露於大量有害化學物品和清潔劑，以及缺乏有效投訴機制可協助她們糾正不公處境。

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, policies and preventive actions by the Hong Kong government exclude household carers who are members of hundreds of thousands of households and a significant community in Hong Kong. The very nature of our work– working where we live – already makes us share the risk as the rest of the Hong Kong households.
在19年冠狀病毒疫情下，港府的政策和防護措施都排擠了所有家庭照顧者。這些家庭照顧者是無數家庭中的一份子，亦是香港社會中一個重要的社群。我們工作的基本特質，即工作與居住地點合一，本身就令我們與同一屋簷下的家庭成員分享相同的疫情風險。

In this time of the COVID-19, the vulnerability of MDWs require that protection of their health and rights be one of the major concerns. However, instead of concrete actions to help protect MDW as part of the all households, the government’s policies seem to be more directed on how to prevent MDWs to become vectors of the virus.
在這個19年冠狀病毒疫情下，移工處境令她們的權利易受侵犯，這種狀況令我們需要更關注她們的健康和權利。不過，政府不單沒有視移工為許多家庭的一份子而保護她們，其政策更似乎只是視移工為病毒的載體。

The current situation further exposes and magnifies the problems of MDWs arising from government policies especially in terms of wages, working hours, accommodation and other labour rights.
現時政府的政策措施，令到移工面對更多難題及把這些難題放大，尤其是涉及薪金、工時、居所及其他勞工權利。

In the absence of a comprehensive policy to address the socio-economic, political, public health and cultural impacts of the COVID-19, the Hong Kong government practically passed the responsibility to private households and individuals to manage the virus risks. If public policies are made, they exclude migrant domestic workers that further render us invisible and vulnerable.
由於缺乏一個有廣泛涵蓋性的政策，去處理19年冠狀病毒疫情所帶來的社會、經濟、政治、公共衛生和文化影響，香港政府就純粹把責任推卸給每個家庭和個人去面對疫情風險。這時任何出台的政策，結果都只會排擠移工，令移工處境更不被看見和權利更易受侵犯。

Ironically, if MDWs are left vulnerable, then households are also vulnerable. The government must embrace the belief that Hong Kong’s survival depends on the survival of all. No one should be left unprotected and uncared for.
諷刺地，如果移工被暴露較易被傳染的環境中，她們所服務的僱主的家庭亦同時暴露於風險之中。政府必須擁抱一個信念，就是香港要生存，必須是所有人共同生存下去。沒有人應該不受保護和照顧。

Thus, we put forward the following demands to the HKSAR government to:
因此，我們向香港特區政府作出以下要求：

1. Ensure a better and more comprehensive social, economic and public health policy to address the COVID-19 and include MDWs in national safety preventive and protection programs. The government should pro-actively support Hong Kong households and include MDWs and others in the care sector.
1. 保證一個更好及涵蓋性較高的社會、經濟和公共衛生政策，以回應19年冠狀病毒疫情，及將移工包括入香港社會的預防及及防護計劃之中。政府應該積極地支持香港所有家庭中的照顧者，包括移工。

2. Include migrant domestic workers in the proposed financial assistance scheme by the HKSAR government to cope with the impacts of COVID-19.
2. 特區政府應在為處理19年冠狀病毒疫情而設的抗疫財政支援計劃中，包括移工。

3. Conduct widespread information to households employing MDWs on their responsibilities to include them in the adequate provision of protective materials.
3. 提供足夠廣傳的資訊給有聘請移工的家庭，告知其作為僱主的責任，是須為員工提供適切的防護物資。

4. Ensure that MDWs have access and correct information on COVID-19 especially those involving MDWs.
4. 保證移工可以接觸到正確的冠狀病毒相關資訊，特別是與移工相關的資訊。

5. Curb overpricing and ensure adequate supply of affordable protective materials for all.
5. 為全港人民提保足夠及可負擔的防疫物資貨源，以及壓止防疫物資的價格飛漲。

6. Withdraw the discriminatory advisory of the Labour Department “suggesting” MDWs to stay in their workplace during rest days
6. 收回勞工署呼籲移工於休息日留在僱主家中的「建議」。

7. Abolish discriminatory restrictions like the “Two- Week Rule” and make the “Live-In Policy” optional to lessen the vulnerability of MDWs and improve our living and working condition.
7. 廢除歧視性的限制，例如兩星期逗留規例，又例如可以將必須與僱主同住的政策鬆綁，讓僱主與移工自己商討。如此，則可以減低移工的易受傷害程度，以及改進移工的生活和工作條件。

Let us all FIGHT C.O.V.I.D.! – Coronavirus | Overwork | Vulnerability | Inequality | Discrimination
讓我們一起對抗冠狀病毒｜超時工作｜易受傷害度 | 不平等 | 歧視