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Jamaica: GraceKennedy lauds Holness for ratifying Decent Work for Domestic Workers Convention

Jamaica: GraceKennedy lauds Holness for ratifying Decent Work for Domestic Workers Convention

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by IDWFED published Sep 30, 2016 12:00 AM
Jamaican conglomerate GraceKennedy has applauded Prime Minister Andrew Holness for signing the instrument of ratification for ILO Convention C 189 during the recently-held 71st session of the United Nation’s (UN) General Assembly.

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Read the original article in full: GraceKennedy lauds Holness for ratifying Decent Work for Domestic Workers Convention | Loop News

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Jamaican conglomerate GraceKennedy has applauded Prime Minister Andrew Holness for signing the instrument of ratification for ILO Convention C 189 during the recently-held 71st session of the United Nation’s (UN) General Assembly.

GraceKennedy Group boss Don Wehby is pleased that three months after this request was made, the dream of thousands of household workers, spearheaded by Pryce, is now a reality.

“GraceKennedy instituted the Household Worker Awards three years ago, to affirm the value of the work done by this group of Jamaicans. In many ways they hold families together and create room for women and men to pursue other productive activities outside of the home. Ms Pryce has served as a judge and was honoured by the panel this year for her advocacy of ILO Convention C 189,” Wehby observed.

Prime Minister Holness announced Jamaica’s ratification of the Convention while participating in the deliberations on a report by the United Nations High Level Panel on Economic Empowerment of Women at UN Headquarters in New York on September 22.

He said, “We are committed to the protection of rights of the most vulnerable among us and to ensure the welfare of domestic workers within the framework of our determination to promote a decent work for all.”

Shirley Pryce was also present at the UN for the occasion.

In a recent interview Pryce said, “The Jamaica Household Workers Union wants to take this opportunity to thank the most Honourable Prime Minister for fulfilling his promise to ratify C189. We are so grateful. We also want to thank The Honourable Portia Simpson Miller for the enormous work she did with us over the years.  We had been struggling for the recognition of the rights of domestic workers for too long, 25 years. The time is just right.”

She continued, “Ratifying of Convention 189 is the start of the change, as this will ensure the provision of the same basic labour rights to domestic workers as well as others. This is an incredible achievement for me personally, as I was a part of a team that was very instrumental in getting the Convention adopted at the International Labour Conference in Geneva in 2011. At one point, I never thought I would see this happen in my lifetime. Now for effective mechanisms of amendment and enforcement of labour legislation as Convention 189. We need to make it a reality as soon as possible.”

Source: Loop News

Story Type: News

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