Weekly rest, better conditions in treaty for domestic workers

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has ratified the world’s first treaty to ensure a global standard that seeks to protect domestic workers rights worldwide.

In a statement, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said the country became the second signatory to the Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

The first signatory was Uruguay which signed the treaty in June this year.  

“Today’s ratification by the Philippines sends a powerful signal to the millions of domestic workers who will be protected when the Convention comes into force. I hope it will also send a signal to other member States and that we will soon see more and more countries committing to protect the rights of domestic workers,” ILO Director-General Juan Somavia said.

Convention 189

The treaty covers all domestic workers and provides for special measures to protect those who, because of their young age or nationality or live-in status, may be exposed to additional risks.

These rights include:

• Reasonable working hours;
• Weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours;
• A limit on in-kind payment;
• Clear information on terms and conditions of employment; and
• Respect for fundamental principles and rights at work, including freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.

Domestic workers worldwide

The ILO national surveys and/or censuses in 117 countries placed the global number of domestic workers at around 53 million.

But since this kind of work is often unregistered, ILO said experts believe the total number could be higher at around 100 million.

In developing countries, domestic workers make up at least 4% to 12% of wage employment. Around 83% of these workers are women or girls, and many are migrant workers.

Globally, ILO said domestic workers make up 3.6% of wage employment. – Rappler.com