Publications

Welcome to our Publications page. Here you can read more about IDWF research, work, resources and tools that we have produced over the years.

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In 2018, IDWF conducted an assessment on the need for organising women migrant domestic workers in Malaysia....

Organize, Organize, Organize: How we do it! Sharing our best recruiting practices in Africa In this booklet we share the good practices domestic workers in Africa have developed to grow and build their unions. The booklet focuses on the first…

Every 5 years, IDWF develops a strategic plan based on the vision of its membership and leadership. It derives theories of change, priorities, and demands of domestic workers through an elaborate participatory process. The report is a visual summary of…

As we reflect on the victories gained by domestic workers worldwide in 2022, it’s clear these achievements have been realized because of the relentless efforts and campaigns of our affiliates. Locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, our affiliates have led advocacy…

Constitution 2023, International Domestic Workers Federation

UNITED, STRONG & GROWING Download here English , Spanish , French

Violence and harassment take many forms. Whether a single or a repeated occurrence, whether it aims or results in violence, whether it is physical, psychological, sexual, or economic, bears no difference.

This podcast was recorded in November 2022 in Qatar to outline migrant domestic workers’ experiences of the labor law reforms and hear their demands on areas of improvement. All the names used in this podcast are pseudonyms.

Hard hit by the pandemic, domestic workers suffered devastating job loss, displacement from homes, and exposure to serious health risks on the job.

Latin American domestic workers’ union leadership training school

Leadership, Unity (re)Novation, Amplification

This Manual is intended to raise awareness among Household Workers, Employers, the Community, Law Enforcement agencies and Legislators on the rights and importance of this sector in Jamaica.

This material is made up of the guide for facilitators and the activity book...

This is the report of an action conference held on 8-10 November 2006 in Amsterdam, at the headquarters of the FNV trade union federation of the Netherlands. The participants were from a wide range of domestic/household workers' organisations, trade unions…

Domestic workers deserve to be included in the ILO mission as professional workers. This document lays out the fundamental necessities for decent work for domestic workers. We want and believe we are entitled to: The recognition that domestic workers have…

Why We Wrote this document: Over the past few years, something historical has been happening. The world’s domestic workers have been mobilising, not only in our own countries and regions but also at a global level. Along with our supporters…

Our mission is to help build strong, democratic domestic workers' organisations to protect domestic workers' rights everywhere. Domestic/household workers demand respect for our rights as workers and recognition for the vital work we do. We have been servants, maids, 'helpers',…

The IDWF asked its community to discuss the prevalence of violence in domestic work and how the IDWF can work to solve it. This report discusses the following questions: What are the most common forms of violence against women from…

International Domestic Workers Day, June 16, celebrates the 2011 passage of the International Labor Organization Convention 189 for Decent Work for Domestic Workers. Domestic workers from around the world came together to fight to establish this international law for domestic…

The joint collaboration of the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF), International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) brought together various representatives of unions and domestic workers organizations across the region in a sharing workshop held in…

IDWF convened a capacity-building workshop for domestic workers leaders from 12th-14th December 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa. This was the second sub-regional workshop for the domestic workers, leaders and officials from Africa's English and Portuguese-speaking countries. The first workshop…

A joint Guide by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) & ILO's Global Action Programme on Migrant Domestic Workers and their Families (ILO-GAP). This Guide aims to inspire and support domestic workers, their union and…

One of the IDWF activities between Namibia and Malawi was to have the exchange visit. It involves DW leaders and organizers to visit CIAWU union in Malawi. This report shares learning from each other about the organizational work in the…

The IDWF has included in its 5 years strategic plan (2016 – 2020) the goal to train 950 domestic workers leaders. In 2016 with support of the ILO-Promote, SASK in Finland and ACVCSC Service Union in Belgium, it launched its…

The handbook will inspire domestic workers and their organizations to eliminate exploitative, harmful and hazardous child domestic work, promote decent work for domestic workers, and help domestic workers to reach their full potential in work and in life. The International…

Under the auspices of the trade unions of domestic workers, a conference on the strategy to be adopted for the ratification of Convention C189 was held on Saturday 20 May 2017 at the Douta SECK Cultural House. The conference was…

Strong domestic workers’ organizations – in the form of trade unions, cooperatives, associations or other membership-based organizations – have been emerging in Asia where the fight for more and better jobs, and the elimination of child labour in domestic work…

Domestic worker leaders and members need to learn how to plan for success to build strong and sustainable organizations. Planning is an under-rated activity in many organizations, left mostly to the leadership. However, planning is crucial to any organization if…

This study aims to complement and inform the IDWF in participating in the various actions to stop gender-based violence in the world of work – in particular, the ILO’s “standard-setting” process towards adopting a Convention on “ending violence and harassment…

Domestic workers around the world deeply welcome the proposals for an ILO Standard against violence and harassment in the world of work. We welcome it not just for ourselves but for all workers, most especially those who are marginalised and…

The report, based on a survey of over 450 migrant domestic workers, examines the implementation of the Hong Kong government’s Code of Practice for Employment Agencies (CoP), and its impact on the human and labour rights of domestic workers in…

A handy online guide developed for the participants of the 2nd IDWF congress, 2018 November 16-19 in Cape Town, South Africa...

The handbook is a content of brief information on Uganda’s domestic workers rights, legislation, and Convention 189. It provides basic knowledge to domestic workers and employers on how to relate in the household as a place of work. Domestic workers…

This research has as its first objective to reveal the best practices and progressive legislative frameworks in the matter of prevention and protection from harassment...

Africa Regional Workshop, took place in Dar-es-salaam, 24-26 May 2019...

Five Years a Federation - The IDWF Second Congress 2018...

The Price of Justice exposes how migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong face a range of administrative and financial obstacles when filing a claim against their employer at the conciliation service, Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board (MECAB) or Labour Tribunal.…

This research was a joint effort between the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) and six affiliates of the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) in Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania Mainland, and Zanzibar. We thank these partners for undertaking…

The Domestic Work Policy Brief aims to put the voice of domestic workers (DWs) at the centre and the forefront of their movement. As IDWF has multiple affiliates around the globe, who are domestic workers’ organizations and unions fighting their…

Project of DOMINA - National Association for Family Employment in the Domestic Work Sector IDWF - International Domestic Workers Federation. In today’s globalized economy, domestic workers are increasingly looking for job opportunities and a decent life beyond their home country.…

"Gender-based violence has been a silent killer of many domestic workers around the world as we are scared to speak out, afraid of losing our jobs. We need to lift our voices to stop this abuse.” - Myrtle Witbooi, President,…

A common tale states that crises create insecurities. Oftentimes, however, these insecurities predate the emerging crises and are perhaps their source. Today, we are witnessing how the spread of COVID-19 has made the struggles of Domestic Workers (DWs) more visible.…

Care is about the activities done for a person’s own well-being, including one or more persons’ physical, psychological, emotional and developmental needs...

The study revealed that domestic workers across the three countries tend to be completely reliant on their jobs as a main source of income and that the majority also happen to be the sole provider in their families. When it…

The Kafala, sponsorship system is a set of policies and laws that tie the migrant worker’s status to the sponsor. Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) are governed by this system and excluded from labor laws in the Middle East and Gulf…

On the occasion of the 20 year jubilee of the adoption of International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and the two year anniversary of the Global Compact on Safe,…

This Survey was designed in April 2020 since it was already clear for the regional IDWF team in Latin America that we had to generate our own information of "hard data" to use it as empirical evidence regarding the effects…

The following briefs are prepared based on information provided through the tireless and relentless efforts of IDWF affiliates and domestic worker groups working on achieving labor justice around the world.A common tale states that crises create insecurities. Oftentimes, however, these…

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a disastrous impact on employment and working conditions across the globe.

C189 is ours. It was not won for us. We won it, and we have to guard it and use it.

We have to ensure that domestic workers are covered by all EU labour and social legislation, including occupational health and safety regulations, that they enjoy equal rights and protection, including those who provide services in non-standard forms of employment or…

In this newly published report, SEWA - the Self Employed Women's Association, shared their stories in organizing domestic workers and advocating for their rights. Download here English

A guide for filipino migrant domestic workers in malaysia.

United, Strong & Growing

With the purpose of helping to improve working and occupational safety and health conditions of domestic workers, it was deemed necessary to develop a guide - aimed at both employers and workers - with guidance and recommendations to eliminate, prevent,…

"Training Pack: YES to equality - NO to violence. Domestic workers organize against violence and harassment (DWoVH). The Domestic Workers organize against Violence & Harassment (DWoVH): Training Pack shares domestic workers’ knowledge, experience and skills, and deepens our understanding on…

Resolutions adopted by the 2nd IDWF Congress 2018, Cape Town, South Africa. The second Congress in Cape Town, South Africa gave us inspiration and renewed energy to fight for our dignity, rights and freedom. Eighteen resolutions were adopted with the…

Step 1. Please read the IDWF Constitution and get to know more about the IDWF and our principles.Please read "4. Membership" and find out if your organization is eligible for application. Step 2. Send your request to [email protected] and we…

Constitution 2019, International Domestic Workers Federation Download here English Spanish French