News and articles on domestic work
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Feature story
Questions and answers on the hidden reality of children in domestic work
08 August 2011
The recently approved ILO Convention No. 189 and Recommendation No. 201 on decent work for domestic workers aim to protect and improve working and living conditions of millions of workers worldwide, who have few – if any – labour rights. Many are children who spend long hours working as domestic helpers, performing tasks such as cleaning, ironing, cooking, minding other children and gardening instead of being at school. ILO News spoke to ILO experts Martin Oelz (TRAVAIL) and José M. Ramírez (IPEC) on the current situation of child domestic workers and how the new Convention and Recommendation can help impact their lives.
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News
Migrants in an irregular situation employed in domestic work: Fundamental rights challenges for the European Union and its Member States.
05 July 2011
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) presented its report ‘Migrants in an irregular situation employed in domestic work: Fundamental rights challenges for the European Union and its Member States’ on 5 July 2011. The report by the EU Agency calls for the introduction of clear standards for all domestic workers, and supports the ILO Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers, and its accompanying Recommendation, which were adopted on 16 June 2011.
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Feature story
Questions and Answers on the Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers
21 June 2011
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.
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Audio
Celebrating the Adoption of an International Labour Standard for Domestic Workers
17 June 2011
At the entrance of the Assembly Hall at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, domestic workers and trade unionists enthusiastically sang and clapped their hands after the adoption of the Domestic Worker Convention ad Recommendation at the 100th International Labour Conference on June 16. The ILO's Director-General, Juan Somavia, called it a historic moment for domestic workers worldwide.
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Audio
Voice of America Reports on New International Labour Convention for Domestic Workers
16 June 2011
Voice of America journalist, Lisa Schlein, reports from the International Labour Conference of the ILO about the adoption of a groundbreaking international labour standard for domestic workers.
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Video
Conference Delegates Adopt International Labour Standard for Domestic Workers
16 June 2011
The government, worker and employer delegates at the 100th annual Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on Thursday, 16 June adopted a historic set of international standards aimed at improving the working conditions of tens of millions of domestic workers worldwide. Conference delegates adopted the Convention on Domestic Workers (2011) by a vote of 396 to 16, with 63 abstentions and the accompanying Recommendation by a vote of 434 to 8, with 42 abstentions.
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Press release
100th ILO annual Conference decides to bring an estimated 53 to 100 million domestic workers worldwide under the realm of labour standards
16 June 2011
The government, worker and employer delegates at the 100th annual Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on Thursday, 16 June adopted a historic set of international standards aimed at improving the working conditions of tens of millions of domestic workers worldwide.