By Professor Tommy Koh: Foreign Domestic Workers: A Suggested Rulebook
There are approximately 250,000 foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in Singapore. My wife and I used to employ domestic helpers in Singapore, New York and Washington. In our relationship with our domestic helpers, we tried to uphold the following rules which I offer for Singaporeans to consider. Rule No. 1: Treat her as a fellow person The most important rule is to treat your domestic helper as a fellow human being. She does not belong to some inferior sub-species of the human family. She is also not your slave. She is entitled to respect for her human dignity.
Poverty has caused your domestic helper to leave her family to come and work for you. She has made a huge self-sacrifice in order to send money home to her family. Show some understanding and appreciation.
The FDWs have enabled our women to pursue their careers. They cook for us and keep our homes clean and tidy. They look after our children and grandchildren, our aged or disabled parents or grandparents. The comfortable life we
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