News and articles on domestic work

  1. Article

    "No" to child labour in domestic work

    31 May 2013

    The 2013 World Day against Child Labour (marked on June 12) is focusing on child labour in domestic work. Millions of children globally work as domestic labourers, mostly girls under 18. They are deprived of education, and endure harsh working conditions that leave them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. However, an innovative ILO project in Indonesia aims to bring about a lasting end to this abuse.

  2. Labour standards

    Paraguay ratifies the Domestic Workers Convention

    09 May 2013

    On 7 May 2013, the Government of Paraguay deposited with the International Labour Office the instrument of ratification of the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189). Paraguay is the seventh ILO member State and the third Latin American member State to ratify this instrument which, in accordance with its Article 21, paragraph 2 of the Convention, will enter into force on 5 September 2013, twelve months after the date on which it was ratified by two ILO member States.

  3. Labour standards

    Bolivia ratifies the Domestic Workers Convention

    18 April 2013

    Bolivia is the sixth ILO member State and the second Latin American member State to ratify this instrument

  4. © Adam Jones / Flickr 2023

    Working conditions

    Momentum grows for domestic workers legislation

    02 April 2013

    A constitutional amendment guaranteeing equal rights for domestic workers in Brazil comes into force on 2 April. Several countries have now passed legislation protecting domestic workers – evidence that the momentum sparked by the ILO Convention on domestic workers is growing.

  5. BBC World News

    ILO says a policy for domestic workers in India is ''a matter of urgency''

    31 March 2013

    Domestic workers in India have more than doubled in number since 2005. Talking to BBC World News, ILO's Tine Staermose stressed the importance of policies aimed at protecting a very vulnerable section of the society. India's domestic workers are considered to ''uphold the economy'', with a rising population of over 10 million.

  6. News

    Commission urges EU countries to implement ILO domestic workers Convention

    26 March 2013

    The European Commission has presented a proposal for a Council Decision authorising EU countries to ratify the International Labour Organisation 2011 Convention concerning decent work for domestic workers (Convention No. 189).

  7. News

    NGOs call for the ratification of ILO Convention No. 189

    26 February 2013

    Ten international NGOs (Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International, Defence for Children International, Child Rights International Network, Global March Against Child Labour, Human Rights Watch, the International Domestic Worker Network, International Labor Rights Forum, Plan International, and World Vision) issue statement to draw attention to child labour in domestic work. The statement urges the ratification of the ILO's new Convention 189 on domestic work and draws attention to the opportunity provided by the World Day against Child Labour to scale up action.