Domestic Workers Have Rights and It Is Time for Every Law to Reflect That Truth By Norhaya

I became a domestic worker in June 2020. I arrived in this role with my values intact and my convictions clear, and I have carried those values forward into every working day since. I draw strength from my family, my faith, my fellow domestic workers, my knowledge of my rights, and the hope I hold for a better future.

On my hardest days, prayer is what holds me steady. That steadiness is not a passive state. It is the quiet fuel behind my ability to keep going, to keep working, and to keep believing that the world will eventually organise itself around the truth I already know. Domestic workers have rights.

That phrase, short and direct, is what I want the world to hear. Not that I deserve rights, or might one day earn them, or should be considered for them. I have them. The task now is to make sure those rights are recognised, respected, and protected by law.

I am completely hopeful that things will improve for domestic workers. I also believe the world fully understands the value and dignity of this profession. My employers offer a lot of respect, and I appreciate that. The government, the general public, and the media offer less, but the potential is there. I see it.

The right I identify as most urgently needing restoration is the right to renew the Overseas Domestic Worker Visa. This right, removed from domestic workers in 2012, has left countless workers in a position where our entire legal status in the country depends on staying with the same employer. That dependency is not safety. It is vulnerability. And it does not have to be this way.

I rate the urgency of restoring pre-2012 rights at the maximum and consider all four rights related to domestic work as important to daily life. The government, I believe, is partially fulfilling its responsibility to protect migrant domestic workers, but there is considerably more to be done. The laws need to reflect the reality of what I contribute and what I need in return.

I spend three hours each week worrying about my job and visa situation. That represents hours of energy spent on anxiety rather than on the things that matter. Removing that uncertainty through law is both possible and necessary.

When asked what it would mean for these rights to be restored, I say simply that it is very important. Those words, understated as they sound, carry the full weight of what I have been living with since 2020. Rights matter because they change how a person moves through the world. They change whether I go to work feeling protected or feeling exposed. They change whether I can advocate for myself or must stay quiet to stay safe.

VODW's campaign for the right to renew the ODW Visa is built around this reality, and my voice is part of the growing chorus demanding that the law catch up with the truth that I already know about myself.

---

Join Us in Supporting Migrant Domestic Workers Escaping Abuse

DONATE HERE 

Migrant domestic workers who have fled abusive employment urgently need your help. They’ve left behind exploitation and are taking brave steps toward safety—but they need support for basic needs like shelter, food, clothing, and counseling.

 "With your donation, we can provide immediate relief and a pathway to rebuilding lives in dignity and safety."

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us provide essentials, temporary housing, job training, and emotional support. Together, we can offer a lifeline to those starting over.

Donate today to make an impact and be a part of their journey to freedom, recovery, and empowerment.

DONATE HERE