AN UNCERTAIN SHIFT FROM ‘PROTECTIONISM’ TO ‘EMPOWERMENT’? PROBING THE DECISION BY NORKA TO RECRUIT WOMEN DOMESTIC WORKERS FOR KUWAIT

Abstract

NORKA ROOTS, a public sector undertaking under the Department of Non Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA), is working to meet a demand for 500 women domestics from Al Durrah, a government supported recruitment agency in Kuwait. This is a first for a state run agency in India. Hitherto, these agencies refused to recruit migrant domestic workers (MDW) citing rampant abuse in the Middle East, where the major demand lies. Their position was consistent with India’s emigration policy and the dominant public opinion that sought to suppress the mobility of women as domestic workers purportedly to protect them from coming to harm. Norka’s officials claim that the decision to initiate recruitment was taken to empower women. But, the decision emerged in circumstances that raise room for skepticism. Commercial relations between India and Kuwait became strained when India enforced severe restrictions on the recruitment of MDWs in 2014-15. Kuwait banned the recruitment of Indian nurses by its Ministry of Health in November 2017. The Government of Kerala has been keen to reopen recruitment as Kuwait has been a big destination of Malayalee nurses. Norka has been at the forefront of a struggle to do so even as on the other side, Al Durra had been pushing for opening up recruitment of MDWs. Another telling factor is Norka’s lack of preparedness. The agency is facing a stiff challenge in mobilizing candidates. Did it assume that aspirants would flock to it once it opened it doors for recruitment? This would have been unrealistic because a hostile emigration policy has bred a complex nexus between MDWs and clandestine recruiters and aspirants view the government with suspicion. Nevertheless, if Norka stays the course and builds a stable foundation for safe recruitment, it could motivate other state agencies to recruit and begin a process of setting right a historical injustice committed against MDWs. But will Norka demonstrate political will to persist with its decision if the pressure to reinstate the recruitment of nurses eases or if there is a backlash against the decision from domestic public opinion?