The adoption by the international labour conference, on 16 june 2011, of ilo convention no. This article explores the legal challenges that must be addressed in. This article examines to what degree domestic workers in south africa are afforded decent work institutionally. The international labour conference ilc of the international labour organization ilo has engaged, as of june 2010, in a discussion on decent work for domestic workers with a view to the possible adoption of international instruments to protect domestic work in june 2011. Strategies of empowerment for migrant domestic workers.
The domestic work policy briefs aim to stimulate and inform policy debates on advancing decent work for domestic workers. Domestic workers suffer from different work uncertainties and unhealthy work life which hampers their overall wellbeing. Not only are their working conditions poor, domestic workers also lack visibility and voice. The jamaica household workers association welcomes this effort to secure a new ilo convention as it is a step towards better international protection of the rights of domestic workers. The working papers study is the outcome of a research fellowship with the international center for development and decent work and part of the icddresearch group on empowerment of. Currently the international labour organization has put the issue of domestic work on its agenda by discussing and adopting a convention on decent work for domestic workers c189. It is implicit in the meaning of the job or income is good, meet ones expectation and those of ones community and at the same time, it is not.
Getting an international convention that sets out our labour rights would be an important step. C189 and decent work for domestic workers efsi europe. Almost a year later, the domestic workers order act which since january 2011 recognised the domestic workers under the employment act, still falls short of addressing workers main concerns. Making decent work a reality for migrant domestic workers. This capacitybuilding project for workers organizations, implemented in 2012, was managed by the programme for.
Latin americas domestic workers the ones decent work forgot. Goal 8 promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all updated on 7 march 2016. India comprises of more than 4 million domestic workers as per national sample survey 20042005. Decent work for domestic workers human rights watch. Domestichousehold work could be decent work if the workers who do it are paid and treated properly. All about domestic work in zambia, domestic workers raising concerns about working conditions, protection of domestic workers and more on mywage zambia. The decent work for domestic workers convention, 2011 no. As a pretraining phase, this programme involves some distancelearning activities. Goal 8 promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic. As long as women do not have the freedom to make their labour market choices, it cannot be said that they are empowered. Jun 18, 2012 extending labor rights to domestic workers is crucial not only from the standpoint of the workers but also in light of the renewed emphasis on and demand for paid care work in the home. The landmark convention can be seen as a global political response to the. We agree with the ilo thatthis is an historic advance in the fight on behalf of millions of domestic workers who today face widespread exploitation and are prevented from enjoying decent working conditions. The decent work for domestic workers convention and.
How to set a minimum wage for domestic workers working time of livein domestic workers social protection for domestic workers. What is indecent is the way that many of us domestic household workers are treated around the world. Domestic workers dw provide valuable and indispensible household work and care services considerable job creation potential. In focusing on unpaid domestic work, we underline the difference between this work within the household, paid work in the labour market and informal paid work, which involves the paid production and sale of goods or services which are unregistered by, or hidden from the state for tax, benefit andor labour law purposes, but which are legal in all other respects sbc, 2004, p 9 in. Of significant relevance to domestic workers, this year the global focus is on the world struggle for minimum wages and a pay rise for all workers. And domestic labour must be included in the concept of work. Decent work and domestic workers in south africa by nicola. Recommendation 201 concerning decent work for domestic workers dws. Ilo adopts convention on decent work for domestic workers. Decent work for domestic workers the state of labour. Manual for domestic workers organising for a better future. Overview of the tripartite consultative workshops in east africa in 2008, ilos governing body initiated double a discussion procedure 2010 and 2011 towards adoption of new international labour standard on decent work for domestic workers. Decent work for domestic workers at the 100th session of the ilo conference, reports the map foundation. There are approximately 67 million domestic workers worldwide, the clear majority of whom 80 per cent are women.
Identify the main issues and challenges in improving. Through events and consultations, the ccig and its partners have been successful in raising awareness and giving voices to workers from around the world. Burmese domestic workers are celebrating in chiang mai on hearing that on 16 june 2011, the international labour organisation adopted convention 189. Judith chilabi started working as a domestic worker at age. Joaquim pintado nunes ilo lab admin video conference elective session. This article examines to what degree domestic workers in south. In traditional english contexts, such a person was said to be in service. Domestic work remains a virtually invisible form of employment in many countries and many domestic workers endure very poor working conditions, including underpayment of wages, long working hours. The ilo convention decent work for domestic workers.
Opportunities and challenges for east africa part 1. This booklet presents a set of new international labour standards convention no. Concept and indicators 117 a complementary measure of employment opportunities, or rather lack thereof, is the unemployment rate ur. The domestic workers order act still falls short of supporting workers and the precarious nature of their work. This introductory article has two dimensions that are addressed simultaneously.
The international labour organisation has recognised the miserable situation of domestic workers worldwide and on 16 june 2011, it announced convention no. The decent work for domestic workers convention and recommendation, 2011 authors. A domestic worker is a person who works within an employers household. Domestic work could be decent work if the workers who do it are paid and treated decently. Employees are considered to have informal jobs if their employment relationship is, in law or in practice, not subject to national labour legislation.
An unemployed person is defined as one who does not have a job but is available and actively looking for work ilo, 1999b, p. Highlight the trends of migration for domestic work and the specific needs and vulnerabilities of migrant domestic workers. Adelle blackett tells the story behind the international labour organizations ilo decent work for domestic workers convention no. Domestic work is often portrayed as womens work, and encompasses tasks historically performed by servants. Mechanisms to ensure compliance, enforcement and inspections. Isbn 9789221218852 print isbn 9789221218866 web pdf issn 00746681 first edition 2010 the designations employed in ilo publications, which are in conformity with unite. Decent work for domestic workers the state of labour rights, social protection and trade union initiatives in europe this document is a part of the eufunded project decent work for domestic workers. It lays down basic rights and principles, and requires states to take a series of measures with a view to making decent work a reality for domestic workers. New ilo standards on decent work for domestic workers. The convention and recommendation are founded on the fundamental premise that domestic workers are neither servants, nor members of the family nor secondclass workers. Isbn 9789225439 web pdf informal employment domestic work domestic worker household ilo convention comment. Domestic workers rights in zambia minimum wages for. Goal 8 promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all updated on 7 march 2016 table of contents target 8. Decent work international catholic center of geneva.
A handbook on domestic worker rights across asia apwld. Implicitly, this guide requests you to take action in order to restore domestic workers rights and dignity. Expectations that the ratification process would start right away. Decent work is applied to both the formal and informal sector. Domestic workers comprise a significant part of the global workforce in informal employment and are among the most vulnerable groups of workers. This helps to explain why domestic work is undervalued and why domestic workers lie firmly rooted at the bottom of the pyramid. The majority of domestic workers in south africa are black african women. Isbn 97892212765 web pdf international labour office. Goal 8 promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable. However, the harrowing accounts suggesting systematic assault and murder of racialized, migrant domestic workers are a reminder that the standard setting on decent work also underscores its own limits. The zambia federation of employers recently launched a code of conduct for employers of domestic workers.
Definitions, methodologies, and ongoing debates article pdf available in cambridge journal of economics 382. Decent work and economic growth a gendered analysis. Trade unions as well as domestic workers organisations have been mobilizing for it, and are working on having the convention ratified and implemented worldwide. Decent work for domestic workers page 5 decent work for domestic workers excessive work hours i had to look after the baby, clean the house, cook. Manual for domestic workers organising for a better. Migrant workers protecting right of migrant domestic workers. It provides information on terms and conditions of employment in domestic work, policy issues and varied approaches to addressing them around the world. The term domestic service applies to the equivalent occupational category. The international catholic centre of geneva works to support decent work for domestic, youth, migrant, women, and workers of other disadvantaged groups. The worlds millions of domestic workers are mostly excluded from national labour laws because they work in private homes, in employment relationships with special characteristics. Extending labor rights to domestic workers is crucial not only from the standpoint of the workers but also in light of the renewed emphasis on and demand for paid care work in the home. European coordinator of the research network for domestic workers rights rndwrn. Key policy trends and statistics dispute resolution training module policy brief on collective bargaining and other forms of negotiation formalizing employment in domestic work 5 december, 2016.
View enhanced pdf access article on wiley online library html view download pdf for offline viewing. Decent work is a multidimensional concept because it touches the humane grounds. Domestic helpers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to housekeeping, including. Decent work for domestic workers the state of labour rights. You have been selected to participate in the training programme decent work for domestic workers that will be held in at itcilo, in turin, from 8 to 12 july 20. Among the total number of female working workers in urban india, about 11 per cent of female workers are engaged in paiddomestic service. Aug 24, 2017 domestic workers comprise a significant part of the global workforce in informal employment and are among the most vulnerable groups of workers. This capacitybuilding project for workers organizations, implemented in 2012. The basics of labour law possible forms of employment downloaded 6 august 2016. Decent work for household and domestic workers in jamaica.
Your tax deductible gift can help stop human rights violations and. So, the decent work strategy of the ilo to reduce poverty can only be realised if it is combined with the promotion of gender equality. Trade unions are calling on governments to heed the call from working women and men for decent wages, safe and secure jobs, and an end to greedy corporations setting the rules for the economy. Many domestic workers, if not most, come from disadvantaged social groups, making them particularly vulnerable to discrimination and abuse at work. Job opportunities for domestic workers employer household members can join the labour market trend away from fulltimelivein except for caring. Abstractthis article focuses on processes leading to the adoption of the international labour organizations ilo convention concerning decent work for domestic workers, which was adopted at the 100th session of the ilos international labour conference in june 2011 and which will enter into force in september 20. Decent work for domestic workers 15, 2833 2010, report iv1.
Seminar the chairperson noted that the seminar on decent work for domestic workers was held as a followup to a seminar in 2010, when stakeholders were still campaigning for convention 189 on domestic work c189 or the convention to be adopted by the international labour organisation ilo. It must address all kind of jobs, people and families. This article explores the legal challenges that must be addressed in order to ensure decent work for domestic workers. They are highly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse often overworked, underpaid and subjected to violence. The goal of the project is to reduce child domestic work by promoting decent work for domestic workers the problem it is estimated that there are a minimum of 2. Time has come for a decent work and decent life for domestic workers. Inclusive labour markets, labour relations and working conditions branch inwork advancing decent work for domestic workers making decent work a reality for migrant domestic workers domestic work from a migration perspective in many parts of the world, domestic workers have the face of a migrant woman.
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