“New laws will prohibit women with young children working abroad” –said the newspapers recently. The report stated that the original proposal was to prohibit mothers with children under the age of 18 but due to objections it is now amended to those with children under the age of 5. It will be interesting to find out what objections were made and who objected.
Doubtless, some politicians having an income through the agencies who send the mothers.
No mother should ever leave her children under 18 and go abroad. If only they know the dangers these children in our society face in such situation they would rather starve than leaving them.
Now if the law comes into effect who will make sure the mother does not have a child? Who knows? The agencies will charge more if they know the mothers are lying. If someone gets caught having given false information then what happens? The mother will be put into jail. How does that solve the problem? It will neither bring money nor solace for the children.
Our law makers make laws without thinking far. The only way we can prevent the mothers leaving their children is to educate them. Like the garbage matter we are tackling important problems in the wrong way.
Informed consent is the only way we can make sure our aims are attained. But then the government always seem to be looking for quick fixes. By now haven’t they realized that quick fixes do not work? Yes educating mothers is hard work, but there is no gain without pain.
If only even a few of the politicians would stop thinking about safeguarding their positions and put the country’s welfare first, we would be much better off, in every sense.
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai
Dehiwela.
