On 16 June 2013 the Africa Domestic Workers’ Network (AfDWN) was launched in Cape Town, South Africa, exactly two years after the adoption of the Domestic Workers’ Convention (C189) and at the very time when a diplomatic bag containing South African Government documents ratifying C189 was en route to Geneva for official lodging at the […]
The Domestic Workers Union, jointly with other unions and women’s movement, launched a public signature campaign in Colombo on June 16 2013, International Domestic Workers’ Day. It is a campaign to get support from the public to press the government to establish a domestic workers act. Several signature collection points were set up in Colombo: […]
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), there are 53-100 million domestic workers worldwide, 83 per cent of whom are women. They represent 4 to 10 per cent of the labour force in developing countries and about 2 per cent in developed countries. Their work is an important contribution to economic and social development. Still, […]
“Yes we did it!”, a statement that best captures the jubilant mood on the last day of the Founding Congress of the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) in 2013. It is also the title of a new book launched at that Congress, which tells the story of how domestic workers organised to win the Domestic […]
The IUF Regional Secretariat for Latin America, or the UITA, based in Montevideo will be the organizer of the IDWN Founding Congress in October. In May, it interviewed Elizabeth Tang as she visited the country to prepare the Congress. Details Read the original article in Spanish: Con Elizabeth Tang Paso a Paso Hacia el Primer Congreso […]
IDWF Regional Coordinator for Latin America, Marcelina receives on Monday, March 31 2014, the Mexican National Award for Equality and No Discrimination (Premio por la Igualdad y la No Discriminación 2013) by Conapred (National Council to Prevent Discrimination). This is a big award and recognition of her work with domestic workers in Mexico. IDWF truly […]
More than half of all work carried out by the world's population is domestic care work. So this International Workers Day on 1 May, maybe it's a good time to ask: why do domestic workers have so few rights? And why is no one speaking up about it? Details More than half of all work […]
Domestic Workers' Union, Sri Lanka, protested against the rape by Supreme Court Judge Sarath De Abrew. On 2 July 2015, In Solidarity with other unions and organizations, they handed in petition letter to the Chairman of Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. Details 2 July 2014 Press release Domestic Workers’ Union protests against the rape of a […]
Employment agencies (EA) in Singapore were reminded by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to refrain from commodifying domestic workers in their marketing strategies. According to a report in The Straits Times, MOM's advisory, released Wednesday, told EAs not to include words such as "cheap fees" or "promotional rates" in their campaigns. It also instructed agencies […]
In August 2010, Tehmina, a twelve-year-old girl from Multan district who worked as a domestic help in a house situated in a posh neighourhood in Islamabad, was pushed off a balcony by her employer for demanding salary. She suffered spinal-cord injuries and was paralysed. Though her poor father managed to get a case registered against […]
Details IDWF Exco member, Shirley Pryce is awarded the Order of Distinction by Governor General of Jamaica for her dedication to Jamaica Household Workers Union and Caribbean Domestic Workers Network. She will receive the award on 20 Oct 2014, the National Heroes Day, at the King's House. IDWF Exco member, Shirley Pryce is awarded the […]
Indonesian Domestic workers Hunger Strike Action started from Nov 25 demanding for Protection Bill & the Ratification of ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers as a priority of the legislative initiative for 2015 & to be deliberated by the end of legislative period 2015-2019. Details Indonesian Domestic workers Hunger strike Action: « […]
