There are now about 150,000 maids in Singapore. They came from countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Most of them are paid only modest wages for working up to 16 hours every day. The average maid looks after the children, cooks, cleans, does the marketing and sometimes washes the family car. In some instances, she also takes the dog for a walk. She is at the beck and call of her employer whom she normally addresses as ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’.

Although some employers treat their maids well, others allow them very little time off work. A few even confine them to the house for months on end. Recently, there was the case of an employer who tied his maid up for an entire weekend. His excuse was that she had tried to leave the house without permission.

The question that springs to mind is this : why do maids put up with such treatment? The answer is simple – money. In their home countries, maids often have to work just as hard for only a few dollars a month. The $300 that they earn in Singapore is enough for remittances home. It is indeed heartening for these maids to know that they are contributing in a significant way towards the maintenance of their families. That is one reason why some put up with less than ideal conditions of work.

Many organizations catering to the welfare of maids have grown up over the years. But the real answer is this : all employers of maids should ensure that those young women are not exploited. They must be treated as human beings with needs, hopes and ambitions like us.