ILO reviews situation of domestic workers worldwide

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has reviewed the progress made on the situation of domestic workers worldwide.

The organisation’s executive body discussed the measures that countries have adopted since the adoption of the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention, as well as the steps that are needed to achieve decent working conditions for the world’s 53 million domestic workers.

According to an ILO study released early this year, only ten per cent of domestic workers worldwide are covered by the same laws and legislation as other workers. Many of them are also subject to deplorable working conditions, labour exploitation and human rights abuses.

A discussion held during the ILO’s Governing Body on October 23 took stock of the progress made since the adoption of the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) and noted that the situation is changing.

According to a statement by the international labour body, till date, ten ILO member States (Bolivia, Germany, Guyana, Italy, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Philippines, South Africa and Uruguay) have ratified the Convention while several other member States have started ratification procedures or have stated their intention of doing so.

“Since June 2011, interest in improving the living and working conditions of domestic workers has spread across the regions. Legislative reforms regarding domestic workers have been completed in numerous countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Spain, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.

“In several other countries, new regulatory and policy initiatives are being taken, including in Angola, Austria, Belgium, Chile, China, Finland, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Morocco, Namibia, Paraguay, United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

“The global ‘12 by 12’ campaign to promote the rights of domestic workers and the ratification of Convention No. 189, launched by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in partnership with the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) and the International Domestic Workers’ Network (IDWN), has contributed to these developments,” the statement added.

International agencies, such as the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), international dialogue processes such as the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have also helped draw global attention to domestic workers.

“All this shows that the ILO Convention on domestic workers and its accompanying Recommendation have effectively started to play their role as catalysts for change,” said Manuela Tomei, Director of the ILO’s Conditions of Work and Equality Department. –http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ilo-reviews-situation-of-domestic-workers-worldwide/162877/