Fikremariam Tesfaye
28 March 2008
Addis Ababa — The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA) said on Wednesday it has revised the labor proclamation saying there was a huge gap as regards to preserving the rights of citizens who work abroad.
To that effect, the ministry has already submitted the revised version of the old proclamation to the Council of Ministers which is very likely to endorse the proposal for the benefit of Ethiopians, women in particular, who work in foreign countries, State minister of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affaires Zenebu Tadesse said.
So much has been said and done of the harsh working conditions Ethiopian women has had to work, especially in the Arab World.
This was exacerbated by greedy "dalalas" ( Amharic word for brokers) and so-called employment agencies in and outside Ethiopia who amass a handsome amount of money from women they make fantasize on heavenly world, in working as house maids and other similar jobs .
Speaking to reporters in her office on Wednesday, the State Minister said there will no more of this, this as she said, a code of ethics detailing in black and white the rules and regulations was coming soon.
She said this will fill the 'wide gap' that existed in the unfavorable old proclamation which did not provide for the protection and ensuing of the civil rights of these significant portion of the society which travels to foreign countries in search of good prospects.
The agencies, among other things will be responsible orient on the general situation under which they are to work, the living conditions and the duties and responsibilities, including the benefits.
They will also have to keep track of the whereabouts of the clients and should be the first ones to be available and responsible in the event some disagreement arises with the client and their potential employers.
What's more, the agencies are to report monthly and with out failure, on the status of citizens working in foreign land, to be submitted to the ministry, according to the state minister.
The state minister said the government was committed to ensure the rights of these people and that the media had a vital role to play in this regard.
She added currently 80 agencies are legally licensed.
The period of 2001-07 saw an exodus with more than 57,315 job seekers who went to Middle-East and Gulf Countries, and the number is steadily on the rise, according to available information.
According to the ILO report of 2001-02, 700,000 peoples went abroad through illegal trafficking from whom 5-7 billion USD was infamously gained Throwing from floors, car accident, suicide, rape, electric are the frequent accidents who work in the Arab world frequently face.
In the last two years Ethiopia prevented laborers from going to Syria following increasing reports of abuse of many forms there on citizens.
As part of efforts to mitigate unforeseen psychological and physical harms, MOLSA has been conducting pre-counselling services to prospective travellers and arranging experience sharing sessions by Ethiopians who worked outside with the potential travellers.
The ministry said bilateral agreements were in the pipe line with Kuwait, Sudan and Yemen.
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