This website in intended to inform the community of the existence of community labor based advocate group that promotes, protect and educated migrant worker’s rights and responsibilities in support to government programs that address labor issues in country. To serve as a window to understand the actual situation of migrant workers in the country, the changes and challenges that workers encounter in work sites, the worker-employer relationship, activities which involves migrant workers, and to promote programs that enhances knowledge and skills.
Sandigan Kuwait (SK) is a non – government, non-partisan, non – political and non – religious organization that promotes the welfare of the migrant workers particularly workers under the domestic sector in the State of Kuwait. An organization that was founded on February 10, 2010 has been serving the community in domestic, skilled and professional migrant workers who’s seeking for legal labor assistance by its Head Volunteer Ms. Mary Ann Abunda, Assistant Head Volunteer Mr. Chito Neri and former Consul General of the Philippine Embassy Attorney Raul H. Dado. The increasing number of domestic violence involving Filipino household service workers (HSW) had popularized the Sandigan Kuwait because of its efficiency and affectivity in coordinating confirmed cases to concerned authorities, as a result it evolved into an organization we know today whose doors were opened to all nationals regardless of its origin, race, language, culture and religious belief.
The Sandigan Kuwait became a beacon of hope to domestic service worker, political labor critic, and a powerhouse in educating the workers of its welfare and rights under the laws of Labor and Social Laws of the state. The organization formed assemblies, gatherings, workshops and educational trainings in partnership with different accredited migrant welfare offices, humanitarian advocate groups, Kuwait NGOs and International organization. Recognized and accredited as legitimate humanitarian welfare for domestic worker advocate by Solidarity Center on December of 2015 and International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) on September of 2015. Handwork and patience paid off on December 2015 when International Labor Organization (ILO) of the United Nations recognized the organization, by September of 2017 a formal agreement had been served to Sandigan Kuwait as a fully recognized organization supported by ILO.
Through the years Sandigan Kuwait together with the Embassy of the Philippines (PE) had been working with several Human Right organizations religiously for the welfare of Filipino migrant workers pushing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) campaign with Kuwait Trade Union Federation (KTUF) and Society for Human Rights (KSHR). Linking the PE and KSHR in the MOU joined project signed on April 2016.
Convention 189 known as International Domestic Labor Law of ILO inspired local kuwaitti youth group to form Project 189 that Sandigan supported on September 2015 is a project that established Sandigan Kuwait with local NGOs as a result of its active participation and involvement to international trainings and conversions the organization had attended. The Social Work Society of Kuwait (SWSK) founded by Bibi Al-Sabah is on September 2005 with straightforward partnership with Lloyd Freeman, Political Officer of the Embassy of the United State of America last September 2015 boost the capacity and capability of Sandigan to tackle high level officials and issues in proper forum and platform.
The Sandigan Kuwait had expanded its horizon, founding an organization that embodies the advocacy promoting core values “Virtus, Honos, Munus” (Virtues, Honest, and Duty) that guided the organization in their Mission and Vision:
Mission and Vision
- Promote the highest acceptable moral standard for the welfare of Sandigan Kuwait, its members and the migrant workers it represents;
- Embody transparency and honesty in all endeavors that the organization holds without mental reservation or evasion for the benefits of its advocacy; and
- Defend the rights of the migrant workers as an obligation and duty to God and its people.