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Speakers at a webinar on Thursday called for strengthening social security supports to the country’s domestic helps who are badly affected by Covid-19 pandemic.
They said about 95 per cent of the domestic workers cannot continue their jobs because of Coronavirus outbreak. Right activists, experts and parliamentarians attended virtual seminar.
They stressed the need for enacting law for ensuring legal supports of domestic workers.
Securing Rights Project, funded by seven organisations, including Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies-BILS, arranged the webinar, marking the International Domestic Workers Day-2020.
Speakers said workers are the top affected group by Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Of them, domestic workers are in more vulnerable condition.
Participating in the webinar, Rasheda K Choudhury, executive director at Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), said it needs to implement the domestic workers’ policy properly. Otherwise, it will not be possible to confirm their rights. To this effect, a legal framework should be formed.
Skill certification will help improvement of domestic workers. At the same, employers also should change their attitude to domestic helps, said the ED of CAMPE.
Member of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Labour and Employment Shamsunnahar Bhuiyan, MP, said about 85 per cent of the workers lost jobs during pandemic in the country. So, they are living miserable lives.
Besides, most of the domestic helps worked as part time basis. Majority of them also lost jobs.
BILS Chairman Habibur Rahman Siraj presided over the virtual seminar while Member of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Labour and Employment Israfil Alam MP, among others, attended the programme.