Cablegate: Singapore's Submission for the Fifth Annual Tip

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 000744

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE PASS AID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC KFRD PREF SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE'S SUBMISSION FOR THE FIFTH ANNUAL TIP
REPORT PART IV: BEST PRACTICES

REF: A. SINGAPORE 743

B. SINGAPORE 742
C. SINGAPORE 740
D. SINGAPORE 657
E. 04 STATE 273089

1. This is the fourth of four messages relaying Embassy
Singapore,s 2005 TIP submission. It covers Embassy's
nomination of Singapore's Ministry of Manpower, Foreign
Manpower Management Division for Best Practices in combating
trafficking in persons.

2. The two populations most vulnerable to trafficking in
Singapore are foreign sex workers and the large number of
foreign domestic workers (FDWs) -- estimated at around
150,000 -- employed here. Although only a few cases have
risen to the level of trafficking, maid abuse is a problem in
Singapore; since 1998 the government has taken a number of
significant steps to ensure the welfare of FDWs, which it
recognizes are uniquely vulnerable to abuse. Stronger
regulations, higher penalties, and highly publicized
prosecutions have reduced substantiated abuse cases by nearly
75 percent compared to 1997, according to statistics provided
by the MFA. The government continues to reform its regime
for regulating and protecting domestic workers, and in August
2003 consolidated the management of the issue into one
government office dedicated to foreign workers. For the 2005
TIP report, Embassy nominates the Ministry of Manpower,s
Foreign Manpower Management Division for recognition as a
best practice in supervising and protecting a large foreign
worker population.

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The Foreign Manpower Management Division
----------------------------------------

3. In August 2003, the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM)
created the Foreign Manpower Management Division (FMMD). The
FMMD comprises a staff of over 100 people and is dedicated to
protecting the safety of the approximately 800,000 foreign
workers in Singapore, maintaining professionalism among
employment agencies, and improving enforcement measures.
During 2004, the FMMD,s education programs, investigative
resources, mediation services, accreditation programs, public
outreach campaigns and network of partnerships both within
the government and with local NGOs, unions and civic groups
made it a model for effective management of a large foreign
worker population. This new organization has already begun
to substantially improve conditions for foreign workers
(particularly those working as domestic servants), the group
most vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and, potentially,
trafficking.

Regulation
----------

4. The FMMD, in coordination with other parts of the Ministry
of Manpower such as the Occupational Safety and Health
Division and the Foreign Manpower Employment Division,
formulates the regulations and policies that protect foreign
workers in Singapore. The FMMD constantly monitors the
welfare of foreign workers, and routinely reviews its
existing regulations ) in consultation with local NGOs -- to
ensure that they are adequate. The FMMD periodically
announces new measures in response to changing needs of the
migrant worker population. Effective June 2004, it has made
accreditation by one of two MOM-sanctioned ratings schemes
mandatory for employment agencies and now is working with the
two accrediting organizations to create a set of national
standards for employment agencies. It also has raised the
minimum age for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) from 18 to
23, and imposed an education requirement of 8 years of formal
schooling (enforced through a literacy test) to attract
workers who are better able to adjust to Singapore's modern,
urban environment and deal with employers. The FMMD mandates
training classes for all new employers of domestic workers
and the maids themselves. It is also working to ensure all
foreign workers have an employment contract.

Education
---------

5. New employers of foreign domestic workers are required to
take a class on their responsibilities towards their
employees in terms of access to their travel documents and
work permits, requirements for living and working conditions
and prompt payment for services. The course highlights the
consequences of failure to meet their responsibilities or
otherwise ill-treat their employees. It also encourages
cultural sensitivity and realistic expectations for their
employee,s performance. The FDDW may require employers who
come to its attention as potentially problematic to retake
the course. For new employees, the FMMD runs a one-day class
on basic safety measures as well as their rights,
responsibilities, and resources for assistance. It also
provides new maids with a handbook containing this
information in their native language.

Investigation and Enforcement
-----------------------------

6. The FMMD has an Employment Inspection Department that
polices illegal employment, illegal deployment, and other
violations of foreign manpower regulations (through measures
such as mobile teams that conduct spot checks on employers)
in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies as well as
the business community. The FMMD also has service desks, a
hotline for foreign domestic workers, and a website
(www.mom.gov.sg) that provides instructions on how to report
suspected violations to the Department of Well-Being
Management confidentially. The FMMD adopts a case management
approach to complaints. When necessary, the FMMD in
conjunction with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth
and Sports will place a foreign worker in a shelter during
the investigation of their complaint, and has a temporary job
placement scheme. The FMMD provides mediation services for
any dispute, and reports that over 90 percent of complaints
are resolved through this mechanism. The FMMD coordinates
with law enforcement when necessary. Employers guilty of
abuse or who repeatedly have problems with their domestic
workers are barred from employing FDWs.

Public Outreach
---------------

7. The FMMD works closely with the media to ensure that its
services, such as the hotline for domestic workers, are
widely publicized. It works through the media to publicize
new and existing regulations and the consequences of breaking
the law. It has undertaken media campaigns to highlight the
working conditions of domestic workers and their
contributions to society here, including examples of positive
and negative work environments, and organizes events such as
the &maid of the year8 and &employer of the year8 awards.
Incidents of maid abuse are widely publicized, with even
relatively minor infractions of the foreign worker
regulations being reported in order to raise awareness of the
consequences for employers.

Partnerships
------------

8. The FMMD works closely with its community partners, which
include NGOs dedicated to the protection of migrant workers,
the Association of Employment Agencies, the National Trade
Unions Congress, and foreign embassies. It discusses foreign
worker issues with its partners to get all views on problems
and potential regulatory changes. NGOs report that they have
good access to FMMD staff, which listens to and acts upon
their views and suggestions. The FMMD also organizes events
and competitions to recognize the contributions of foreign
workers, and has joined with partners on specific projects to
promote the welfare of foreign workers, e.g., the Bayanihan
Centre, which provides skills training and recreational
activities for Filipina FDWs. NGOs and other groups who work
with the FMMD say they are happy with the support and
cooperation they receive from it, and Bridget Lew of the
Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics says that
the new regulations and the FMMD have contributed to an
&awakening in Singapore society8 about the rights of
foreign workers here, and have had a significant positive
impact on their welfare.

LAVIN

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