In case of need

Just recently, after having lived in Jordan for almost 50 years, when the necessity arose to employ a Filipina for my family, I became aware, during interviews I had with some of them, of the ordeal that a considerable number of these housekeepers go through while employed by some Jordanian families.

I heard that some are deprived of part of the salary that is stipulated in their contract, of adequate nourishment and of a weekly day off. That they are often treated like slaves when their working hours stretches until late at night, they are not released by their employers on the expiry of their work permits, so as to prevent them from looking for another employer and are often abused with words and actions.

I suggest that the Labour Ministry, the Philippines embassy and all other embassies that represent their citizens in a foreign country provide all foreign workers with an emergency telephone number and address upon their arrival in Jordan so as to enable them to contact the concerned authorities in case their employers do not comply with the norms of human behaviour.

Maria Bruni,
Amman