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Middle East & North Africa

by IDWFED published Mar 30, 2017 06:15 PM
Global: IDWN joins other NGOs, call on all governments to ratify C189 to protect child domestic workers

Global: IDWN joins other NGOs, call on all governments to ratify C189 to protect child domestic workers

by IDWFED — last modified Jan 11, 2016 06:09 PM

Ten leading international organizations called on ministers of labor around the globe in a letter released on Feb 25, 2013 to protect child domestic workers and to ratify the ILO Domestic Workers Convention (Convention 189 concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers). The convention, adopted in June 2011, will help eliminate child domestic labor and improve the lives of an estimated 15 million child domestic workers.

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Lebanon: Informational film for domestic workers "Domestic work in Lebanon"

by IDWFED — last modified Oct 12, 2015 02:54 PM

Developed by KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation, a non-profit organization working on ending violence against women, "Domestic Work in Lebanon" is a video providing information and advice to the domestic workers who are going to Lebanon.

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Philippines: "For Good: Stories of Return to the Philippines" raise awareness on plight of women migrant workers

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 13, 2015 09:37 PM

UN Women Philippines launched in 2012 a video documentary: "For Good: Stories of Return to the Philippines" to raise the public awareness on the plight of women migrant workers and their families. The documentary explored four facets of return and reintegration of women migrant workers using interviews based on actual experiences of Filipine women returnees from Middle East and North African region.

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GCC: Migrant Rights urges revised draft law on GCC domestic workers

GCC: Migrant Rights urges revised draft law on GCC domestic workers

by IDWFED — last modified Oct 17, 2015 04:03 PM

A new law in the Arab Gulf states that deals with domestic workers fails to meet international standards, Migrant Rights said on Feb 6, 2013.

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GCC: Unified contract for domestic workers

GCC: Unified contract for domestic workers

by IDWFED — last modified Jan 11, 2016 06:10 PM

The country has backed proposals for a unified GCC employment contract for domestic workers that would also give them the right to keep their passports and ensure they are paid monthly. The country has backed proposals for a unified GCC employment contract for domestic workers that would also give them the right to keep their passports and ensure they are paid monthly. Cleaners, nannies, cooks, butlers, drivers and gardeners would be included in the new regulations, which will be discussed by GCC Labour Ministers during a meeting in Bahrain later this year.

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Lebanon: Visualizing Human Rights for Migrant Domestic Workers

Lebanon: Visualizing Human Rights for Migrant Domestic Workers

by IDWFED — last modified Dec 24, 2015 09:17 PM

In recognition of International Migrants Day on 18 December, Migrant Workers’ Task Force, AltCity.me, and graphic designer Joumana Ibrahim worked with a group of young graphic designers to visualize migrant workers’ rights and hardships. The result is a series of images that illustrate the human rights abuses brought about by the sponsorship system.

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Domestic Workers Across the World: Global and regional statistics and the extent of legal protection

Domestic Workers Across the World: Global and regional statistics and the extent of legal protection

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 30, 2015 03:47 PM

This publication sheds light on the magnitude of domestic work, a sector often “invisible” behind the doors of private households and unprotected by national legislation.

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Lebanon: In Memory of Alem Dechasa

Lebanon: In Memory of Alem Dechasa

by IDWFED — last modified Oct 19, 2015 02:35 PM

Documentary filmmaker Vanessa Bowles began her project "Alem & Asrat" at the exact time of Dechasa's death and wanted to tell her story. Concurrently, she wanted to delve into her own proximity to the lives of domestic workers. She introduces Asrat, the young woman who has been with the Bowles' family for the past five years. Bowles' journey took her to Ethiopia to meet the families of Dechasa and Asrat. She is met by a group of young activists called the Good Ethiopians. One of the activists says that if he had one message for Lebanese people, it would be that "Ethiopians are humans, too."

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Working in Lebanon:What you need to know-Nepal

by Fish Ip — last modified Apr 05, 2017 05:12 PM

This film provides information on Lebanon and advice to domestic workers coming to Lebanon from Nepal.

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Information Guide for Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon

Information Guide for Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon

by IDWFED — last modified Apr 10, 2018 04:00 PM

This guide: 1/Tells you about how to protect your rights and fulfill your obligations when working in Lebanon. 2/ Helps you learn about the country, its people, their customs and ways of living.

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Kuwait: Establishment of a domestic-labor office is urged

Kuwait: Establishment of a domestic-labor office is urged

by IDWFED — last modified Oct 19, 2015 03:09 PM

Secretary of the National Assembly, MP Kamel Al-Awadhi, stressed on Dec 22 the importance of expediting the establishment of a company concerned with the employment of domestic workers. He said Kuwaiti families are continuously suffering domestic-worker related problems that incur huge amounts of money due to the manipulations and exploitations of recruitment companies.

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Working with migrant domestic workers in Lebanon (1980s-2012): A mapping of NGO services

Working with migrant domestic workers in Lebanon (1980s-2012): A mapping of NGO services

by IDWFED — last modified Dec 07, 2015 05:16 PM

The main purpose of "Working with migrant domestic workers in Lebanon (1980s-2012): A mapping of NGO services" is to explore how NGO agendas in the migrant domestic workers (MDWs) subfield have progressed since the deliberations of the National Steering Committee on Women Migrant Domestic Workers.

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Kuwait: New parliament urged to pass domestic labor law

Kuwait: New parliament urged to pass domestic labor law

by IDWFED — last modified Oct 25, 2015 06:17 PM

Manila-based Filipino recruitment agencies have expressed hope that new parliament in Kuwait would look into the issue of domestic workers and pass a domestic labor law hanging fire.

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Qatar: No World Cup without workers' rights - Help us fill all 21282 seats

Qatar: No World Cup without workers' rights - Help us fill all 21282 seats

by IDWFED — last modified Jan 11, 2016 05:52 PM

More people will die building Qatar's World Cup stadiums than will play in the World Cup. Local laws in Qatar stop migrant workers from forming a trade union, collectively bargaining for better wages, and healthy and safe work. Nearly 200 Nepali workers die each year in Qatar. Qatar refuses to publicly count the number of workers who die or are injured on the job. We want people to know about the problems facing workers in Qatar, where more people will die building the World Cup infrastructure than will play in the World Cup.

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Global: "Campaigning for Justice: Human Rights Advocacy in Practice"

Global: "Campaigning for Justice: Human Rights Advocacy in Practice"

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 01, 2015 05:28 PM

In Jo Becker's new book, Campaigning for Justice: Human Rights Advocacy in Practice, it outlines some of the most innovative human rights campaigns of recent years, and how activists were able to fight seemingly intractable abuses to secure concrete advances in human rights.

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Bahrain: Domestic workers in Bahrain excluded from key protections

Bahrain: Domestic workers in Bahrain excluded from key protections

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 01, 2015 05:55 PM

Human Rights Watch (HRW), a rights-based organisation, has said that Bahrain — a popular job destination for Nepalis in the Gulf region — is not safe for migrant workers. Hundreds of thousands of mostly South Asian migrant workers in Bahrain face exploitation and abuse, HRW said in its 123-page report "For a Better Life: Migrant Worker Abuse in Bahrain and the Government Reform Agenda".

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Building a Future with Decent Work: Youth Employment and Domestic Workers

Building a Future with Decent Work: Youth Employment and Domestic Workers

by IDWFED — last modified Dec 07, 2015 05:21 PM

On the Domestic Workers Session: The 2012 NGO Consultation aimed at offering an occasion for NGOs working for/with Domestic Workers to gather and share main concerns and difficulties encountered in their actions for the ratification of ILO Convention C189 and the effective recognition of Domestic Workers' rights.

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Bahrain: Passes new Labour Law to protect domestic workers

Bahrain: Passes new Labour Law to protect domestic workers

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 03, 2015 04:02 PM

Bahrain has passed a new labor law, Labor Law 36, protecting the rights of workers after four years of delays. The legislation, which has been ratified by King Hamad, will impose harsher penalties on employers risking employees’ health and safety, and will also increase vacation time to 30 days and lengthen maternity leave. The law also, for the first time, protects domestic workers.

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Urban Informal Workers: Representative Voice & Economic Rights

Urban Informal Workers: Representative Voice & Economic Rights

by IDWFED — last modified Dec 28, 2015 09:11 PM

The 2013 World Development Report recognizes and focuses on employment as the center of economic development. The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary analysis of five case studies prepared for the 2013 WDR team that illustrate why and how the representative voice and economic rights of urban informal workers should be promoted.

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GCC: Why Ethiopian Domestic Workers Insecure in Gulf

GCC: Why Ethiopian Domestic Workers Insecure in Gulf

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 03, 2015 04:23 PM

Female economic migrants in these countries are highly exposed for insecure conditions due to various reasons. However, the female domestic workers trafficking or modern slavery is currently at increasing rate and in relative speaking their insecurity at their destination has also highly increasing and beyond one can imagine. Managing this highest domestic workers trafficking has become a challenge to the government. The question is why migrant female domestic workers in the GCC countries are highly exposed for insecure conditions. This article tries to address the major social and political causes for vulnerability and insecurity of the female domestic workers in the GCC countries.

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Global: International treaty on domestic workers' rights to come into force next year

Global: International treaty on domestic workers' rights to come into force next year

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 10, 2015 05:01 PM

"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," said ILO’s Director-General, Juan Somavia. "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."

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The Only School We Have Learning from Organizing Experiences Across the Informal Economy

The Only School We Have Learning from Organizing Experiences Across the Informal Economy

by IDWFED — last modified Dec 28, 2015 09:15 PM

This handbook is a resource for those organizing informal workers in any sector, though it is based on the organizing experiences in (mainly) four groups: domestic workers, home-based workers, street/market vendors and waste pickers. It draws on the themes, ideas and information generated at the Organizing Workshop, together with additional background materials, case studies and analysis.

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Global: 2012 June 16 - International Domestic Workers Day Celebrations and actions around the world

Global: 2012 June 16 - International Domestic Workers Day Celebrations and actions around the world

by IDWFED — last modified Feb 17, 2016 06:35 PM

The first ever International Domestic Workers’ Day was celebrated on June 16 in countries in every continent– in Canada, Peru, South Africa, India, Belgium, and so on. Over 50 organizations of domestic workers, trade unions and other civil society groups across the world held activities.

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Global: IUF Resolution on decent work and dignity for Domestic Workers

Global: IUF Resolution on decent work and dignity for Domestic Workers

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 12, 2015 04:05 PM

Welcomes the adoption of the Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers (No. 189) and Recommendation (No. 201) by the 100th annual Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on 16 June 2011.

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Domestic Workers Organisations in Africa

Domestic Workers Organisations in Africa

by admin — last modified Feb 21, 2016 11:06 PM

The African domestic workers network exists to promote and achieve decent work conditions for domestic workers in the region, in the view of the reality that the conditions of their work are generally characterized by insecurity, abuse and exploitation. The network recognizes the critical importance of unionization as a tool for the better. It therefore seeks to promote such unionization in all countries in the Africa region to consolidate a strong call for social justice in respect of domestic workers.

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A model letter - Press your government to ratify C189

by IDWFED — last modified Jun 16, 2016 09:58 PM

A model letter for domestic workers and alliance to press the governments to ratify C189. It can be downloaded for further edit.

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Effective Protection for Domestic Workers: A guide to designing labour laws

Effective Protection for Domestic Workers: A guide to designing labour laws

by IDWFED — last modified Dec 29, 2015 01:40 PM

This guide, published by ILO, is a practical tool for those involved in national legislative processes and in the design of labour laws, including government officials and representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations.

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Achieving decent work for domestic workers - An organizer's manual to promote ILO convention 189 and build domestic workers' power

Achieving decent work for domestic workers - An organizer's manual to promote ILO convention 189 and build domestic workers' power

by IDWFED — last modified Dec 28, 2015 09:22 PM

The adoption by the International Labour Conference, on 16 June 2011, of ILO Convention No. 189 and Recommendation No. 201 on decent work for domestic workers, was an historic step in the struggle for social justice worldwide. It was the culmination of several decades of domestic workers’ organizations and trade unions campaigning to end exclusion, and gain recognition for the rights of domestic workers.

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UAE: Proposed Law to Benefit Domestic Workers

by IDWFED — last modified Nov 13, 2015 04:52 PM

Important Opportunity to Ensure Legislation Meets International Standards

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Global: Domestic workers call to ratify C189 on the May Day

Global: Domestic workers call to ratify C189 on the May Day

by IDWFED — last modified May 03, 2016 06:22 PM

On May Day unions, non-governmental organizations and religious groups worldwide called on their governments to ratify the ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

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