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Global: New Year message from Myrtle Witbooi, IDWF President & Elizabeth Tang, IDWF General Secretary

Global: New Year message from Myrtle Witbooi, IDWF President & Elizabeth Tang, IDWF General Secretary

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by IDWFED published Jan 10, 2016 12:00 AM
The last year was an extremely important year for IDWF. It was a year of rapid growth, both in terms of membership size and leadership formation. It was evident as domestic worker leaders came together at regional workshops and meetings to discuss strategies, share stories, and make plans. The IDWF became better known and we are working together with increasing numbers of trade unions and other allies.

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GLOBAL -

The last year was an extremely important year for IDWF.  It was a year of rapid growth, both in terms of membership size and leadership formation.  It was evident as domestic worker leaders came together at regional workshops and meetings to discuss strategies, share stories, and make plans.  The IDWF became better known and we are working together with increasing numbers of trade unions and other allies.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness month. We start 2016 grounded in the worst forms of abuse that too many domestic workers face. The International Labour Organisation estimates that there are 20.9 million trafficking survivors globally and 68 percent of these cases are cases of labour trafficking, including domestic work. Most public and political attention has centred on sex trafficking.

While forms of trafficking can overlap, labour trafficking and domestic work deserve more focused attention and resources. Though not every domestic worker suffers extreme exploitation or trafficking, every domestic worker is vulnerable to abuse in the absence of fair labor standards and migrant protections. We must continue our work for recognition, respect, and protection under the law for all migrant workers and domestic workers.  

In 2015, we experienced in a new way how critical it is to have a global organization of domestic workers. Several domestic workers who were trapped in inhumane working conditions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait found and contacted IDWF through our facebook page.

Iscah first posted a message on our IDWF Facebook Group in mid October asking how she could get help.  She was a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia.  Her employer did not pay her and threatened her with a knife whenever she mentioned it.  Marieke Koning of the ITUC was in contact with her at the same time.  We decided to help her to get out from her employer’s house.  There is no formula for success in cases like this one. 

We contacted trade unions, NGOs, embassies and others for help.  They all helped.  And Iscah is a brave woman - during all this time, she was calm and followed what we told her to do.  Finally it worked out.  Iscah was able to escape and return home.  It was such a relief.  Here is the full story. IDWF, along with ITUC, and its local affiliates in worker’s home countries, were able to help workers escape.

On behalf of our team,  I would like to thank all our affiliates and our leaders, supporters and allies.  Thank you for your support, trust, solidarity and friendship.

Source: IDWF Facebook

Story Type: News

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