All news: domestic workers

Tanzania launches an action plan to promote decent work for domestic workers

Launch of skill development initiative for domestic workers

The ILO office for Pakistan and the Women Development Department Government of the Punjab have joined hands to start a pilot training programme to skill and re-skill domestic workers. The programme aims to improve the standard of domestic work as...

ILO welcomes EU Council Decision authorising Member States to ratify Domestic Workers Convention

The ILO welcomes the adoption by the Council of Ministers of the EU of a Decision authorising EU Member States to ratify the ILO Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189).

Labour standards

Ecuador ratifies the Domestic Workers Convention

Ecuador is the eleventh ILO member State and the fifth Latin American member State to ratify this instrument that seeks to improve the working and living conditions of tens of millions of domestic workers worldwide.

Argentina and Paraguay signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support ILO Global Action Programme on Migrant Domestic Workers

Tripartite Commissions on Equal Opportunities of Argentina and Paraguay signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop different collaborative initiatives, among them - their role as advisory committee of the EU funded Global Action Programme on...

Official visit

ILO Chief and Pope Francis discuss the dignity of work

The dignity of work is a common concern for the ILO and the Catholic Church, said ILO Director-General during a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican.

Domestic Workers

New challenges for Unions

Domestic Workers ‘Organizations around the world launched a new International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) during a congress in Montevideo (Uruguay) from 26th to 28th October 2013 with the participation of ILO Bureau for Workers Activities...

The Founding Congress of the International Domestic Workers' Federation (IDWF) - Taking a landmark step in the history of domestic workers...

The Founding Congress of the International Domestic Workers' Federation (IDWF) was held in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 26-28 of October 2013, gathering nearly 200 participants, including representatives from domestic workers' unions, ILO, the ITUC,...

ILO Governing Body reviews progress on the situation of domestic workers worldwide

The organization’s executive body discusses the measures that countries have adopted since the adoption of the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention, as well as the steps that are needed to achieve decent working conditions for the world’s 53 million...

Comment by Guy Ryder

Child labour is no child’s play

Migration and development

Empowering migrant domestic workers

During the UNGA high-level dialogue on migration, UN member states and others discuss how to tackle abuses against migrant domestic workers through ILO Convention 189 and effective partnerships for implementation.

Migrant domestic workers

ILO launches EU-funded programme on migrant domestic workers at UN High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development

At a special side event on migrant domestic workers at the UN High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development in New York, the “Global Action Programme on Migrant Domestic Workers” was launched by the ILO and its partners.

ILO Promotes Rights of Domestic Workers at High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development

Representatives of governments, international organizations, employers’ and workers’ organizations to share relevant initiatives and highlight relevance of ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers to promote human and labour rights for...

Training Programme for Workers Organizations - Strengthening the capacities of workers organizations on decent work for domestic workers

From the 23rd of September to the 6th of October of 2013, an extensive two-week training programme was organized by the ILO's Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV) in Turin at the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin, Italy to...

Labour standards

Germany ratifies the Domestic Workers Convention

Germany is the 10th ILO member State and the second EU member State to ratify the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) which seeks to improve the working and living conditions of an estimated 50 million domestic workers worldwide.

ILO at Eurofound Conference on home care services

On 12 September 2013, Ms Rie Vejs-Kjeldgaard (ILO/EUROPE) participated in a Eurofound - Lithuanian Presidency conference on “More and better jobs in home care services”. She reminded the participants of the importance and relevance of ILO...

Landmark treaty for domestic workers comes into force This historic ILO Convention gives domestic workers the same rights as other workers

The International Labour Organization’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) comes into force on 5 September 2013, extending basic labour rights to domestic workers around the globe.

Convention 189

Landmark treaty for domestic workers comes into force

This historic ILO Convention gives domestic workers the same rights as other workers.

Social workers to mediate between employers and migrant domestic workers in Lebanon

Ministry of Labour and the International Labour Organization discuss the job description of social workers who will counsel migrant domestic workers and employers during disputes.

ILO Workshop on the Job Description of Labour Ministry Social Workers in Lebanon

A workshop to discuss the draft job description of social workers recently appointed by the Ministry of Labour in Lebanon.