Kalayaan are a registered charity providing advice, advocacy and support to migrant domestic workers in the UK. These workers enter the UK legally with domestic visas to work in private households.

Kalayaan highlight that migrant domestic workers can be at high risk of exploitation, working in isolated and unregulated environments and often experiencing discrimination based on race and gender. The organisation has documented experiences of physical, psychological and sexual abuse, discrimination, low pay and long hours. There is also evidence that some employers retain the passports of their domestic workers as a way of exercising control over them.

Kalayaan provide advocacy and support to migrant domestic workers, with services including ESOL provision, emergency assistance for workers who have left abusive employers and legal advice on immigration and employment issues. The Commission will be considering the work that Kalayaan undertakes, and whether action is needed to reduce the risks of exploitation that Kalayaan show migrant domestic workers face.

Madeleine Bunting, one of our Commissioners, has recently written for The Guardian on Kalayaan’s campaign against new Government legislation impacting on domestic workers.

Filed under: Uncategorized