In this episode, the EbE podcast, in collaboration with Kalayaan, dives into the ongoing campaign advocating for the Right to Work (RTW) for all survivors in the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), with a focus on migrant domestic workers (MDWs). The conversation begins by unpacking the NRM, highlighting the unequal RTW provisions for MDW survivors, and exploring the background of most domestic workers in the UK, who often face immense financial pressure to support families overseas. Sophie Levack, the Immigration Lawyer and Policy Officer at Kalayaan, hosts this episode alongside the panel: Rebecca Hirst, the Community Engagement Lead at Kalayyan, the lived experience campaigners Evelyn, Myline and Tope, who share their personal experiences of exploitation and the challenges they have faced as domestic workers. Their testimonies highlight the urgent need for stronger protections and recognition of domestic workers’ rights.
The panel discusses the profound human and welfare costs of denying the RTW to survivors, the Kalyaan campaign, and its connection to Refugee Action’s Lift the Ban campaign, which similarly advocates for the RTW for asylum seekers and draws attention to broader labour rights issues for vulnerable populations. For more information, visit the Kalayaan website at www.kalayaan.org.uk. For the latest updates, follow them on X (formerly Twitter) @Kalayaan.
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