Women Migrant Workers

The landmark treaty setting standards for the treatment of domestic workers that was adopted at the International Labour Conference in Geneva has been widely hailed as a milestone. The Convention and accompanying Recommendation on decent work for domestic workers aim at protecting and improving the working and living conditions of domestic workers worldwide - estimated to number anywhere between 53 million and 100 million. ILO Online spoke to Manuela Tomei, Director of the ILO’s Conditions of Work and Employment Programme.

Why is this Convention needed?

Les délégués gouvernementaux, travailleurs et employeurs à la 100e Conférence annuelle de l’Organisation internationale du Travail (OIT) ont adopté jeudi 16 juin un ensemble historique de normes internationales qui visent à améliorer les conditions de travail de dizaines de millions de travailleurs domestiques à travers le monde.

Millions of domestic workers around the world are employed in private homes, often unregulated by public authorities, making them vulnerable to exploitation. This week the ILO has been meeting in Geneva to design a convention to protect them.

Following lengthy negotiations the ILO have agreed an historic Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, 50 years since the issue of their rights were first raised. This is a fantastic achievement for domestic workers – one of the most vulnerable groups of workers across the world.

An alliance of overseas Filipino workers rights group today hails the adoption of the Domestic Workers Convention saying that it is ‘a landmark international instrument that would pave the way to protecting domestic workers’ well being, rights and welfare.”