Report finds domestic workers in Asia still lack basic protections

When it comes to recognising the rights of domestic workers, Asia is lagging behind.

About 40% of domestic workers globally are employed in Asia, but most of the region lacks legislation to protect them.

The Philippines is the only Asian country to sign on to the Domestic Workers Convention – an agreement drawn up by the International Labour Organisation two years ago to provide domestic workers with the same basic rights as other workers.

The region’s slow reform is the subject of a new report tracking the progress of the Domestic Workers Convention.

The report by the International Domestic Workers Network, the International Trade Union Confederation and Human Rights Watch documents a wide range of issues that domestic workers still face, from unpaid wages to sexual abuse.

Critically, domestic workers – most of whom are women and girls – are excluded from many nations’ labour laws and their services are not recognised as real work.

“There are deeply entrenched social attitudes which view domestic work as something that’s not really work. People see domestic workers as helping out, or they will claim that they are part of the family even though they are not treated as part of the family”, Nisha Varia from Human Rights Watch told Asia Pacific.

“Domestic work is associated with traditional women’s roles of care-giving and this has always been undervalued. So it’s really linked to gender discrimination and a devaluing of work associated with women”, she said.

The Philippines passed a law in January this year improving the minimum wage, social security and public health insurance for almost two million domestic workers.

There are signs of progress elsewhere in the region, albeit incremental.

Indonesia introduced a bill to parliament early this year and is closest to agreeing to sign on to the Domestic Workers Convention.

India has extended a health insurance scheme and included workers in a law prohibiting sexual harassment in the workplace.

Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand are also introducing some reforms. –Tom Maddocks, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-29/an-asia-domestic-workers/5056556?section=business