Abu Dhabi, Oct 25 (Khaleej Times): The UAE on Thursday responded to a recent statement issued by Human Rights Watch about the treatment of foreign domestic workers in the country by saying that the organisation had “drawn sweeping conclusions based on a small, unrepresentative sample”.

The statement, issued by Amna Al Meheiri, director of the Human Rights Department of the Foreign Ministry, said, “The report misses the bigger picture: the UAE provides economic opportunities to people of 200 different nationalities (and that) the UAE is committed to the continuous improvement of protection for foreign workers.

“Given the number of foreign workers in the UAE, there are bound to be cases of abuse.

“Such cases do not reflect the general situation, which works to the benefit of the vast majority of employers and employees. The UAE will continue to improve protections for foreign workers and engage in dialogue with their home countries to resolve issues that arise.”

Following is the full text of the statement: “The recent Human Rights Watch report on migrant domestic workers in the UAE draws sweeping conclusions based on a small, unrepresentative sample. The report misses the bigger picture: the UAE provides economic opportunities to people of 200 different nationalities, benefiting the workers and boosting the UAE and home countries’ economies. The UAE is committed to the continuous improvement of protections for foreign workers.

“The UAE’s status as an attractive place of work for people from around the world has made it a major recipient of foreign labour, which is of benefit to the workers, the sending countries, and the UAE. The UAE has ratified nine major ILO (International Labour Organisation) conventions related to the rights of workers, and has adopted numerous laws to protect workers’ rights, including in the areas of recruitment, pay, housing and health. We acknowledge that this area is a work in progress, which is why the UAE is committed to the continuous strengthening of protection for foreign workers, including migrant domestic workers, as a national priority.

“The Human Rights Watch report on female migrant domestic workers in the UAE, released on October 23, 2014, by its own admission was based on a small sample which was not representative. Many of its conclusions are drawn as generalisations from this small sample. This type of sensationalistic reporting may attract media attention, but it is not a constructive contribution to making progress. Unfortunately, Human Rights Watch has a history of sensationalising issues. This is not the way forward.

“Given the number of foreign workers in the UAE, there are bound to be cases of abuse. Such cases do not reflect the general situation, which works to the benefit of the vast majority of employers and employees. The UAE will continue to improve protection for foreign workers and engage in dialogue with their home countries to resolve issues that arise.

“The UAE has taken many measures to protect domestic workers and provide remedies in case of abuse, in particular:

* A standard form contract has been established to regulate the relationship between domestic workers and their employers. The contract specifies the rights and obligations of each party, including hours of work and days off. The employer generally bears all expenses related to sourcing domestic workers, travel costs to the UAE, accommodation and meals. The provision of health insurance for domestic workers at the cost of the employer is mandatory.

* To provide flexibility for domestic workers to change employers, a system has been established to transfer the temporary sponsorship of domestic workers with their approval.

* Domestic workers are also provided with important legal protections under the civil transaction law, federal criminal law, and the law on countering human trafficking.

* A number of awareness-raising initiatives by the Ministry of Interior have been implemented to inform domestic workers of their rights.

* The Ministry of Interior works with recruitment agencies to raise awareness of employers of the rights of domestic workers.

* The Ministry of Interior has established a committee to examine domestic worker recruitment agencies, detect any violations of applicable laws, and make recommendations to better protect domestic workers.

* The Ministry of Interior works with governmental and non-governmental institutions, including embassies and consulates of countries of origin, in order to find the best solutions to the problems of domestic workers.

* Specialised units have been established in the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs to receive complaints from domestic workers and to assist in resolving disputes between the parties to the relationship through a permanent and open channel of communication.

* A toll-free hotline (8005005) has been established, through which workers can make complaints.

* Protection, care and shelter are provided for domestic workers who are victims of violence or abuse. Such individuals (victims of violence or abuse) are referred by the Public Prosecution to the Ministry of Interior’s social support centres to provide them with shelter and all necessary care. Domestic workers may also seek assistance from shelters provided by civil society organisations, such as the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children.

* A specialised centre, the Emirates Institution of Naturalisation and Residency, has been established to train employees of the naturalisation, residency, ports and exits departments on how to handle issues related to naturalisation and residency, including those involving domestic workers.

* The UAE is a leading player in the global campaign against human trafficking. The UAE was the first country in the region to enact a comprehensive anti-trafficking law (Federal Law 51 in 2006).

* In 2007, the UAE established a National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, which publishes an annual report on progress in combating human trafficking in the UAE.

* The UAE is a member of the Bali Process and has signed numerous agreements with workers’ home countries to work together to prevent human trafficking.

* In January 2013, the UAE Cabinet passed enhanced legal protection for victims of trafficking, including important provisions such as security protection to witnesses and lawyers, as well as psychotherapy to victims.

* In 2013, 19 cases were registered under Federal Law 51. These involved 24 victims and led to the arrest of 50 traffickers. Notably, there were convictions in 12 cases, which reflects positively on the robustness of the judicial system in the UAE. These convictions involved stiff penalties ranging from one year to life imprisonment and fines.

* The National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking recently decided to establish a fund to support victims.

“The UAE was pleased to host a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons in April 2013, who recognised the progress achieved by our national campaign.

“The UAE will remain an attractive place of opportunity and work for many people from around the world including domestic workers. The UAE will continue to strive to improve working conditions and to cooperate constructively with relevant international organisations to this end.”