6 May 2014 www.womanthismonth.com letters Seeking Workers’ Rights Just like the story of the million migrant workers, I left my home country and family six years ago with a bag full of hope, enough determination and much love for my family to give them a much better future. With the rising trend in suicide rates among workers in the recent years, it is overwhelming to know that Bahrain has a big society like the Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) that helps in the plight of helpless men and women, who are being abused, exploited and deprived to earn an honest living. MWPS’ noble aim to protect the workers’ basic human rights is inspiring for other migrant workers groups and foreign embassies that support and protect the rights of their own people. The diversity of its active members from Bahrain, Canada, Germany, the USA , India, Kenya and other countries makes it more powerful and unique — because it’s main goal is to help the expat workers and not base it on colour, race or religion. And with the support from different organisations, private sectors, embassies and government offices, I am sure that MWPS is on the right path and will continue to thrive in the years to come. Miradelle WRITE IN AND WIN Next month’s star letter will win a voucher for two from Joz Salon & Spa. To win this, send us your views on our May 2014 edition either by email to [email protected], by fax to 17 813-700 or by post to PO 20461. The winner will be selected at random. If yours is the star letter this month, please write to the same email address with your full name, CPR number, address and telephone number to claim your prize. www.womanthismonth.com Bahrain Edition BEAUTY | FASHION | HOME | WELLBEING | PARENTING | LOCAL ISSUES April 2014 | Issue 134 | BD1 / SR10 woman this month APRIL 2014 ı THE WEDDING ISSUE ı www.womanthismonth.com HOME SUBSCRIBERS COPY ISSUE 134 NEW WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT| THE PLEATED SKIRT | COPPER DECOR The wedding iSSUe BRIDAL GOWNS HONEYMOON PLANNING BRIDAL GIFT GUIDE Write Here Write Now Wedding bells I’m getting married this year and I just loved your bridal trends! I’m sure I want a white gown, but there are so many styles to choose from. Your pages helped me to decide that I definitely want something with lace and some transparency details. It also made me think that I must pick the right lingerie for the type of the dress and not just the one I like most. Thank you very much! Lina Get fit When thinking of getting fit, we never think out of the box, right? The first thing that comes to mind is the boring gym environment. Dancing sounds like a lot more fun and exciting. Maybe they should create a class mixing many styles, so one day we would have belly dance, the other zumba, the next one salsa and so on. The other concept I’m keen to try is the Hypoxi system. The results from your trial sounds promising; I’m willing give it a try. Jo 56 April 2014 www.womanthismonth.com www.womanthismonth.com 57 April 2014 FWAESDHDI OI N G Bridal Gown Trends After meticulously scanning through various bridal shows across the globe, here are the gown trends that we think will make the groom’s heart skip a beat. Amsale Dennis Basso Heidi Elnora Ines DiSanto Kenneth Pool Monique Lhuillier Oscar de la Renta Theia Victoria Kyriakides LAcE SLEEvES There’s no way you can go wrong with lace. But who doesn’t already know that? To stay on trend, just go with lace sleeves. Thank you Kate Middleton! MORE IS MORE Whether it’s the use of beads or threedimensional flowers, a little extra is well received this season. LESS IS MORE Clichéd as it may sound, nothing beats this simplistic theme. Sleek and modern gowns are clean and romantic. BLAck AND WHITE You couldn’t miss Vera Wang’s black leather gloves from a mile. However, we prefer the more subtle hints of black that several brands used this year from simple accessories like slim belts to black appliqué. LAyER AFTER LAyER Summer might not sound like the season to be piling on layers, but the runways could not get enough of the trend. Do it right and you might be able to pull it off! UpTO THE kNEES The bride who does not intend to get off the dance floor could choose to rock a short wedding dress. Keep the hemline at the knees for a refined look. Add glamour to the otherwise casual theme with striking necklines, draped tulle and lace. AT THE ANkLE Nothing is more French-chic than an ankle-length hemline. The 50's syle is a playful alternative to the usual ball gown. BAck IN STyLE Keyholes, trains, pleats — you name it and it was on the runway this season. Add drama to your gown with details on the back, like graphics, lace or crystals. MAkE THE GRADE For those brides who would like a bit of colour on their wedding gown, without having to commit to a whole colour like Kaley Cuoco did, the ombre trend is the way to go. 74 April 2014 www.womanthismonth.com Ok, so you’re a fitness freak. But day after day, the same exercise equipment and regime can rouse boredom in the best of us. Exercise bounds to get monotonous over time and is the leading reason why people do not stay committed to their fitness goals. Enter ‘dancercise’! Dancing is a form of physical activity that uses almost every part of the body, offering a complete workout. You can choose a dance form to match your preferred pace and goal. Moving to music gets the endorphins rushing, thereby boosting memory, intelligence and making for a more sociable outlook. Whatever your size or shape, hop onto the dance bandwagon to get moving and keep fit. Anybody can take up ‘dancercise’. Minor physical ailments can be worked around under the supervision of an experienced instructor. And no, there’s no pressure to move like Jagger. Battle the Bulge Bollywood Style Our Expert: Stephen Anthony, Choreographer at Bollywood Steps Bahrain’s cinema halls are not the only proof of the Middle East being great fans of Indian cinema and music. Walk into any Bollywood dance and fitness class to see students from various backgrounds spin to catchy, foottapping numbers. A typical dance session stretches, flexes and works the entire body, along with getting the lIFeStyle | wellbeing Get Your Groove On BY BEHNAZ SANJANA Are there days when the sight of the treadmill makes you cringe and the very thought of a strenuous workout makes you want to wail? When it gets tough to keep your eye on the fitness prize, you simply need to change tracks. 80 April 2014 www.womanthismonth.com Bahrain has over 70,000 migrant workers employed in private residences, many of who come here without any knowledge of the local language or the nature of their jobs. Once they grasp the reality of their situation, the Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) is one of the few organisations whose support they can count on. The recent rescue of an Ethiopian girl, who was trafficked to Bahrain, highlights the illegal practices employed to send migrant workers to the region as well as the abusive conditions in private homes. The girl, who was only 15, arrived in Bahrain on a passport, which recorded her age as 25. “Her employer wasn’t happy with her work as she’d expected a 25-year-old and not a child,” explains Esky Girmay, MWPS assistant action committee head and Ethiopian community leader. “Over the next seven months, the employer made the girl work until 2am every day, beating her up when the work was unsatisfactory, and denying her food every other day as punishment.” The girl fled from her employer’s house and managed to contact members of the Ethiopian community, who took her to the local police. The MWPS then negotiated the girl’s release with her employer and repatriated her to Ethiopia in February. Perversely, despite her injuries, she can be considered ‘lucky’ as she managed to escape and be rescued. There are perhaps hundreds of people in similar or worse situations, who are less fortunate. MWPS chairperson Marietta Dias recalls incidents, where domestic workers have been blinded in one eye due to beating by the employer’s family. Domestic workers were brought under the purview of the labour law for the first time in 2012, but they aren’t covered by many of its provisions — especially those relating to hours of work and rest — which leads to abuse. “Women at our shelter report working for 17 hours a day on average. One woman, who was made to work 22 hours, had to be hospitalised and treated for asthma and exhaustion. She fled her sponsor’s home after the family refused to get her medical treatment when she fell ill,” says Beverley Hamadeh, general secretary, MWPS. In 2013, the MWPS gave shelter to 156 abused domestic workers awaiting their cases to be resolved. Overwork, non-payment of salary, physical abuse and withholding of passport by sponsors are the main complaints. “Many sponsors don’t obtain the necessary documentation for their employees. This delays the settlement of their cases. We know of employers who haven’t got a resident permit for their domestic staff; nor a CPR card. Most workers who come to us don’t know if they have a CPR,” Marietta adds. MWPS provides translation services, advises workers and follows up on individual cases. It provides offers shelter to abused workers referred to them by the police, foreign embassies and the church. by SIMI KAMBOJ community Seeking Workers’ Rights The abuse faced by domestic workers comes to the fore this month following the rescue of a minor girl by the Migrant Workers Protection Society. Esky Girmay, Marietta Dias and Beverley Hamadeh BLiPP tHiS PAGE to WAtcH A ViDEo ABout tHE conDition oF miGRAnt WoRKERS in tHE KinGDom LEARn moRE ABout miGRAnt WoRKERS PRotEction SociEty (mWPS) connEct WitH mWPS STAR LETTER
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