All ILO Newsroom content

October 2012

1. Labour rights

   Domestic workers in Europe falling through the loopholes

   24 October 2012

   Many domestic workers in Europe do not enjoy as much legal protection as other workers. ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers – which will come into force in a year’s time – offers a chance to improve the lives of the millions of people who work in this profession.

September 2012

1. 

   Forced labour

   ILO hails US campaign against "modern slavery"

   28 September 2012

   The International Labour Organization welcomes US President Barack Obama’s strong stance against forced labour, which affects some 21 million people worldwide.

2. 

   Convention N° 189

   Landmark treaty for domestic workers to come into force

   05 September 2012

   The ILO’s Convention on Domestic Workers has now been ratified by two countries, meaning it will come into effect in a year’s time. The Convention extends basic labour rights to tens of millions of domestic workers worldwide.

3. 

   From the Philippines

   Labour rights recognized for Filipino domestic workers

   05 September 2012

   The Philippines' ratification of ILO Convention 189 officially extends basic labour rights to domestic workers and will bring the convention into force within the year. But what does passing this landmark legislation actually change in the life of a maid working in the Philippines?

August 2012

1. 

   Video News Release

   Taking Decent Work on Board

   21 August 2012

   When the ILO adopted the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) in February 2006, Director-General Juan Somavia called it "making labour history" for seafarers around the world.The MLC, 2006, will come into force 12 months after ratification by 30 ILO member States, representing a total share of at least 33 percent of the world's gross tonnage (gt) of ships. The Convention promotes a strong enforcement regime to ensure that labour standards are enforced as effectively as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions on ship safety, security and environmental protection (SOLAS/MARPOL) by both flag and port States.

2. 

   Labour standards

   Milestone ratifications of seafarers’ labour rights charter

   20 August 2012

   The ILO’s Maritime Labour Convention has now been ratified by 30 countries, meaning it will go into effect in a year’s time. The charter sets out the labour rights of the world’s 1.2 million seafarers.

3. 

   Article

   On course for decent shipping

   20 August 2012

   When the ILO adopted the Maritime Labour Convention in February 2006, Director-General Juan Somavia called it “making labour history”. Following the ratification by Russia and the Philippines, the Convention will come into force in 12 months’ time. What does this mean for the world’s 1.2 million seafarers?

4. 

   Video News Release

   Return to Chitwan: The Bote people in Nepal

   08 August 2012

   Throughout the world, the traditional lifestyles of indigenous people are threatened by changing times, economic development and poverty. In Nepal, one group of tribal people barred from their traditional hunting grounds for nearly 40 years may yet see the old way of life return, thanks to a new law protecting their rights.

July 2012

1. 

   Video News Release

   Uruguay takes the lead to protect domestic workers

   24 July 2012

   Providing protection for the world's millions of domestic workers has taken a major step forward. In April 2012, Uruguay became the first country to ratify ILO Convention 189, the landmark treaty guaranteeing domestic workers get the same core labour protections as other workers. Uruguay has long been a leader in protecting the rights of domestic workers, but ratifying the convention demanded a unique approach; a group of Uruguayan housewives were called on to represent the employers of domestic workers at the bargaining table.

June 2012

1. 

   News

   One year on, Uruguay is first to ratify ILO domestic work Convention

   14 June 2012

   Uruguay becomes the first to ratify the ILO’s standard-setting Convention on Domestic Workers. The international treaty aims to improve the lives of domestic workers worldwide in the face of huge decent work deficits.