The Sri Lankan government is looking at implementing a ban on its nationals from working as housemaids in Middle Eastern countries and elsewhere overseas, according to media reports.
Confirming the news, Neomal Perera, Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of External Affairs, told Muscat Daily that the issue was being discussed within the government, but added that a decision is not likely to be taken in the 'near future'.
Kuwaiti media had earlier quoted C A H M Wijeratne, Ambassador to Kuwait, as saying that the government was 'seriously contemplating' a ban on housemaids working in the Middle East, with the social impact in sending women as migrant workers described as significant.
"The social impact is huge and families are breaking up. For some women, it's a way to get away from a drunk husband, but the government is seriously contemplating (placing a ban)," said Wijeratne in comments to Kuwaiti media.
An estimated 1.2mn Sri Lankan migrants are employed in the Middle East, mostly as housemaids. Remittances to Sri Lanka from overseas workers was valued at around US$6bn in 2013.
© Muscat Daily 2014
