Background on women seeking foreign jobs to be considered

by Naalir Jamaldeen

The family background of women who are to go abroad as house keeping assistants will be considered, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera said.

Women with unstable family backgrounds will not be considered for foreign employment. This regulation will come in to effect from tomorrow, the Minister said. Whether the departure of the mother abroad as a house keeping assistant would affect the education of her children, whether the guardian of the children is suitable for his or her job, and the attitude of neighbours or relatives to the children will be some of the factors taken into account. Women will be considered for foreign employment only if these factors are favourable.

Whether the money to be sent would help improve the economic standards of the family and if the money would be saved or be sufficient to start self-employment projects by the husband or family members would also be considered, Minister Perera said. The assistance of graduates who are employed in Divisional Secretariat offices in each district will be obtained to find such information, he said.

They will visit the house of the woman who is to go abroad and study the environment and family structure and will send a report to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) through the Divisional Secretary.

The Ministry has decided to implement this program considering the well-being of families and children, he said.