UNPFII - joint statement on migration of women to the cities to work as domestic help

7^th Session of United Nations Permanent forum on Indigenous Issues

April 21- May 2, 2008

New York

Agenda item no. 8

Joint statement by Meenakshi Munda -Mundari Literary Council, Rashmi Ekka Chotanagpur Rising Association

Madam Chair, Distinguished member of the UNPFII

Honorable Representative of the observer States, UN special agencies

Fellow Indigenous brothers and sisters from around the World

Ladies and Gentleman

I bring cordial greeting to you from our people. Madam i wish to speak in general. Firstly, we have been raising on this platform several issues affecting our people.

After the formation of new state Jharkhand, there has been sudden increase in the migration of the indigenous people from our state. Most of the female leaving their home working in the metropolis cities as a domestic helper the local data says about more than 70,000 females have been migrated.This migration is forming a pattern and this being followed. The natural calamities have frequently affected most of the regions of Jharkhand in the from of drought, poor crop production and failure of of supporting produce. On the other hand Government policies have failed to handle the issue of development and the problem of migration and on the other the ignorance of the tribals of the region have promoted their migration from the native place. There are in numerous government policies and program for tribals but benefits at the ground level seems negligible. Poverty, demographic pressure the means of income or the land available for the cultivation is fixed but the population of the family is increasing by each generatin other factors are lack of education, lack of employment, naxal activities are the prime factor that promotes migration, all these factors are interlinked.

Early 21st century has witnessed a large emigration especially from the wester region of Jharkhand. The district like Gumla, Simdega,Lohardaga, latehar, Palamu and Daltenganj are the most affected ones.Every individual who is distressed and is deprived develops a wish to visit metropolitan world for the betterment of life. Though this kind of shift of natives from their original habitat enhances their economic status but they are definitely at losers' end regarding social status, particularly in case of females, many young girls returning to their native place as unmarried mother which is culturally not acceptable in my place. Recently there has been death caused by the AIDS. Moreover, these young women face a high degree of physical and economic exploitation. This causes psychological stress and strain.

Our Recommendations:

• Let all the placement agencies get registered
• Let there be one Directory of the Forum, where there will the names and addresses of placement agencies and domestic workers
• Let the girls names and addresses be registered properly at Placement Agencies.
• Awareness program should be given at native place and place of destination
• Placement agencies should become the member of Domestic Workers Forum
• Terms and conditions for girls should be made in a concrete way in Agencies and there should not be any kind of ambiguity in rules and procedures.

Thank You Madam Chair.