Through personal stories and interactive exhibits, the Maid of Honour initiative educates Singaporeans on fair employment practices and promotes respectful employer-FDW relationships.
Four final-year undergraduates from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are launching Maid of Honour, a new initiative promoting fair employment practices and improved well-being for Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs). The initiative complements the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) national efforts that emphasise the entitlement of FDWs to one rest per week, and one mandatory rest day per month.
The team’s survey of 105 current FDW employers in Singapore found that 1 in 3 employers do not regularly provide their FDWs with a weekly rest day. The survey also found that around 1 in 2 FDWs worked more than 9 hours a day.
However, employers largely acknowledge the importance of well-being for their FDWs, with 81.9% of respondents agreeing that weekly rest days are important for mental and physical health. In addition, 76% agree that FDWs should have privacy for sleep and personal time. While this suggests that attitudes among employers are largely positive, these views are not consistently reflected in practice according to MOM’s guidelines.
“There are more than 300,000 live-in migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Singapore, providing essential yet often undervalued caregiving and domestic labour in our homes. As Singapore’s population ages, reliance on MDWs will only continue to grow. It is therefore critical that MDWs are treated fairly and with dignity, and accorded the same basic rights and protections as other workers,” says Stephanie Chok, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME).
In partnership with HOME, Maid of Honour will launch a public roadshow at Jurong Regional Library from 31 January to 1 February 2026, with an official opening address at 3 p.m. on 31st January by Dr Hamid Razak, Member of Parliament for West Coast-Jurong West GRC.
Featuring personal stories from FDWs and employers, as well as educational content on fair employment practices, the exhibit provides visitors with a deeper understanding of the challenges and contributions of FDWs. Visitors can also learn practical ways employers can ensure fair employment, such as providing rest days, respecting privacy, and maintaining reasonable workloads. This encourages a more informed approach to fostering respectful employer-FDW relationships. The exhibition will remain open to the public until 28 February 2026.
About Maid of Honour
Maid of Honour is an initiative by four final-year communication students from Nanyang Technological University’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. The initiative aims to improve the respect and well-being of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in Singapore by raising awareness on fair employment practices and promoting fair and respectful employer-FDW relationships.
For more information, please visit maidofhonoursg.com
Maid of Honour Roadshow Information
Date & Time: 31 January – 1 February 2026, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Opening Address at 3 p.m. by MP Dr Hamid Razak)
Venue: Jurong Regional Library, 21 Jurong East Central 1, Singapore 609732
The exhibition will remain open to the public until 28 February 2026.
Images credit to Maid of Honour
