When the Ministry of Foreign Employment in Sri Lanka introduced the Family Background Report (FBR) it withdrew the rights of many women, with children below the ages of five, to seek employment abroad. Caring for children is a shared responsibility by both the mother and father. And although many in society don’t accept this concept, it has been recognised that her foreign earnings not only benefits the country but her family as well. This story is about Prasanna, a carpenter from Chilaw and how he cares for his two children while his wife works abroad. Click here to watch the video.
English transcripts of the video:
“My name is Prasanna. I live in Kudawewa, Chilaw. My wife went abroad for employment as a migrant worker 5 years ago. It was with her salary that we were able to purchase a piece of land for the family. I was able to look after my kids once she left. At the time she went abroad, my son was two and half year old while my daughter was about six and half.
Without her we did feel that something was missing. But because she went abroad we were able to afford a place of our own. There is a law in Sri Lanka where women with the children under the ages of 5 cannot seek employment abroad. But with my mother’s help we were able to manage till my wife returned home. We took care of the children well without any issues and made sure that their needs were fulfilled. “
“Is it fair to stop mothers with children under the ages of five to work abroad as migrant workers?”
“Did you know that a father too can take on the responsibility of caring for his children when his wife goes abroad on work?”
A message from Action Network for Migrant Workers, Sri Lanka