New convention provides basic rights to workers

MANILA, Philippines - At least 53 million domestic workers worldwide, including Filipinos can now enjoy basic labor rights.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) reported that the Domestic Workers Convention providing basic labor rights to domestic workers came into effect yesterday.

Manuela Tomei, ILO working conditions and equality department director, said the new convention it becomes binding as international law.

“The entry into force of the Convention 189 sends a powerful signal to more than 50 million domestic workers worldwide,”  she said.

Based on ILO data, about 53 million domestic workers are employed worldwide and the number is increasing steadily in developed and developing countries. 

About 10.5 million children worldwide  also  work as domestic workers.  

Since the adoption of the Convention in 2011, several countries have passed new laws or regulations improving domestic workers’ labor and social rights, including Venezuela, Bahrain, the Philippines, Thailand, Spain and Singapore. Legislative reforms have also begun in Finland, Namibia, Chile and the United States.

 Several other countries have initiated the process of ratification of ILO Convention 189, including Costa Rica and Germany.

An ILO study, Domestic Workers Across the World, showed that domestic workers are employed in private households, often without clear terms of employment, unregistered and excluded from the scope of labor legislation.

ILO said that at the time of the research, only 10 percent were covered by general labor legislation as other workers.      

“Deplorable working conditions, labor exploitation and human rights abuses are major problems facing domestic workers,” ILO said.

Domestic workers are often paid less than workers in comparable occupations and work longer hours, ILO added.

In the Philippines, about 1.2 million children aged 15 years and older are employed as domestic workers

They are largely concentrated in Metro Manila and Calabarzon.