Major Victory for the Movement of Domestic Workers

In a major victory to the millions of domestic workers the world over and their advocates, the International Labour Conference of the ILO decided to adopt a Convention on the rights of domestic workers.

The government of India, supported by its close neighbour Bangladesh, the Arab Bloc and the representatives of Employers, failed to get through its resolution to limit the international instrument to a Recommendation rather than a Convention. A recommendation has no binding force on the member countries.

Support for the Convention came from such unexpected quarters as China, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Thailand. The countries of the African Union led by South Africa, countries of the Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands led by Venezuela, and the European Union led by Spain offered strong support to the adoption of a Convention. Among the other major advocates for a Convention were the United States, Australia and Syria.