News
Keep up to date with all our campaigns, recent media coverage of issues affecting migrant domestic workers and case studies. For regular updates on all our work please follow us on Twitter @kalayaan.
Kalayaan and experts publish minimum standards for ODW information meetings
In January 2018, the Home Office announced their proposed timeline for the implementation of information meetings for migrant…
Help us reach out to more migrant domestic workers
Do you work with or provide support to migrant communities in the UK? Could you help us reach…
Kalayaan backs campaign to ensure victims of modern slavery can live free for good
Kalayaan calls on the government to ensure that all recognised victims of human trafficking and modern slavery are…
Supreme Court allows appeal for trafficked domestic worker on Anti Slavery Day 2017
Kalayaan is delighted that on Anti Slavery Day 2017, the Supreme Court has handed down judgments in two…
Still in the dark, still disempowered
Today marks 12 months since changes were made to the immigration rules for migrant domestic workers. These changes…
Training from Kalayaan : Migrant domestic workers, their rights as workers and as victims of modern slavery – 9 February 2017
Location: London Address: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, 65 Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 1HS Date: Tuesday 9 February 2017…
Kalayaan attends launch of Anti Slavery Commissioner’s first annual report
On 12 October 2016, the Commissioner released his first annual report (for the period 1 August 2015 –…
Overseas Domestic Workers left in the dark by the Immigration Act 2016
As the latest Immigration Bill passed through parliament, the government acknowledged that migrant domestic workers remain an especially…
Campaigns
Kalayaan’s campaign and policy work is focused on reinstating the basic rights of migrant domestic workers which were removed in April 2012, tying domestic workers who have entered since this date to their employers. This makes it impossible in practise for migrant domestic workers to assert any rights as, without the right to resign or to leave their employment, they have no bargaining power at all in what is already a vastly unequal employment relationship.
Abuse reported to Kalayaan by workers who have registered with us since April 2012 make it clear that the removal of the rights to change employer not only destroys the chances of migrant domestic workers to access justice once they have escaped abuse. The fact that workers are tied to their employer with no option to leave also results in a worsening of treatment in employment, particularly in restrictions of freedoms.
Kalayaan backs campaign to ensure victims of modern slavery can live free for good
Kalayaan calls on the government to ensure that all recognised victims of human trafficking and modern slavery are…
Overseas Domestic Workers left in the dark by the Immigration Act 2016
As the latest Immigration Bill passed through parliament, the government acknowledged that Overseas Migrant Domestic Workers remain an…
Independent reviewer calls for an urgent end to the tied visa system for migrant domestic workers
Kalayaan is delighted that James Ewins’ independent review of the Overseas Domestic Worker visa, released today calls for…
We made the Liberty Human Rights Award 2015 Shortlist
In recognition of the importance of the struggle of migrant domestic workers to regain their basic rights Kalayaan…
Write to your MP asking them to keep protections for migrant domestic workers in the Modern Slavery Bill
Please write to your MP asking them to support the continued inclusion of protections for migrant domestic workers…
Lords vote to protect migrant domestic workers
An important amendment to include vital protections for migrant domestic workers has been voted into the Modern Slavery…
Do you want to end the tying of domestic workers to their employers?
ITV’s Exposure programme ‘Britain’s Secret Slaves’ shown on the 19th January 2015 highlights the real impacts of tying…
Migrant domestic workers; the gap in the Modern Slavery Bill
The Modern Slavery Bill is currently going through the House of Lords. Committee Stage consideration of the Modern Slavery…
Our Story – The Experience of Migrant Domestic Workers
This moving film was made in 2010 by migrant domestic workers advocacy group Kalayaan and Justice 4 Domestic…
Modern Slavery Bill; Overseas Domestic Worker amendment
Kalayaan is calling for an amendment to the Modern Slavery Bill in order to ensure that the Bill both…
Case Study 1: Trafficked
‘Regina’ (not her real name) was brought to the UK by an employer to work in their private…
Case Study 2: Escaped But Failed
Mira (names and identifying features have been changed) ‘Mira’ was waiting outside Kalayaan in tears with a small…
Case Study 3: Domestic Servitude
KALAYAAN case id: 3294 Susi (name and identifying details have been changed) came to the UK from Qatar…
Case Study 4: No Justice
Kalayaan client ID 3465 Case Study ‘Rupa’ (name and identifying details have been changed) Rupa arrived at Kalayaan…
Case Study 5: Rights, Justice and Rebuilding Lives
Sara- original ODW visa case study Sara, an Indian national, was bought to the UK from Kuwait…
‘I feel I am dying’: UK tied visa re…
Advocates told WikiTribune that even after the British government commissioned an…
Slavery or deportation: limbo land for U…
Britain last year made reforms, allowing domestic workers to change employers within six mon…
I’m free... and now I am treated as a…
Brought into the country by a Saudi family she believed would look after her, she was forced…
'Absolutely unacceptable': UK accused of…
Campaigners have warned that thousands of foreign domestic workers remain enslaved behind th…