manual: women workers' rights and gender equality - International ...

• The costs for the medical treatment of the family member are very high so the woman goes
again to the money lender.
• Finally, draw an arrow to close the circle. This will be a never-ending story because the woman
has no earnings so she can not pay back her “loan” to the money lender by any other means
than by working more.
Step 3
• Discuss the situation using the following questions:
- What do they think of the whole situation?
- Is this situation fair?
- Do you think the woman has another option to get money?
- Can you think of ways to avoid becoming a bonded labourer?
- What are other cases they can think of in which people end up like this?
Step 4
• Explain that this circle also applies to people who get a loan and can not pay it back because
they do not have the money. When they need more money they again get a loan or even sell
their children to pay back the loan. The person gets captured in the “circle of debt”.
• Ask the participants to come up with situations in which they or others may need a loan
• Can they think of problems for paying back this loan?
• Explain the importance of a written contract when getting a loan in which all terms and
conditions are stated, otherwise do not get the loan.
Step 5
• Summarize the things done and learned during this session.
Notes for the trainer
After the first questions explain briefly that bonded labour usually is the result of a debt that needs
to be paid back to a person in the form of unpaid labour. So the people are “bonded” to the person
and often the only thing they get is food.
Forced labour means any work or service that someone is forced to do under the menace of a
penalty and against his or her will: People are forced to do any kind of work and often are kept in
captivity. Sometimes these people are forced to do illegal activities and they get punished when
caught instead of their boss. People, vulnerable to forced labour conditions, are undocumented
migrant workers, hill tribes, and rural migrant workers.
The Cambodian Government ratified ILO Convention 29 on Forced Labour and Convention 105 on
the Abolition of Forced Labour. The aim of these Conventions is to prohibit and suppress forced or
compulsory labour in all its forms.
In the Labour Code 1997 article 15 states that forced or compulsory labour is absolutely forbidden
and article 16 states that hiring of people for work to pay off debts is forbidden.
Explain the “circle of debt” as the most common reason why people end up in bondage or forced
labour. People should, if possible, avoid taking loans in this way because they are easily cheated.
Discuss with the participants what risks you face if you borrow money. Whenever someone takes a
loan from a person they should make sure that a contract with all terms and conditions is made,
signed by both parties on every page and preferably by a (government) official as a witness. This
will avoid situations like the example in this exercise.
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