21st Century Empowerment: the rights of migrant domestic workers in Malaysia

Abstract

Migrant domestic workers in Malaysia are a highly vulnerable group, since they are domestic workers, migrants and women. There rights can easily get violated, due to different reasons. This research aims to create possibilities for the protection of the rights of migrant domestic workers with a rights based approach. The challenges for this protection have been outlined after qualitative interviewing 19 MDWs in Kuala Lumpur. Five topics of challenge were sorted out from the data: on the move, working conditions, perception on MDWs, rights and policies. Afterwards, through thematic interviews with stakeholders the possibilities were outlined. One of the most valuable conclusions is the creation of a comprehensive framework trough creating more data on the situation, doing evidence based advocacy and creating a specific domestic workers act. Another valuable conclusion, is that MDWs should increase their empowerment through transferring knowledge via a smartphone application: [DW]app.