News and articles on domestic work

  1. Labour standards

    Germany ratifies the Domestic Workers Convention

    20 September 2013

    Germany is the 10th ILO member State and the second EU member State to ratify the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) which seeks to improve the working and living conditions of an estimated 50 million domestic workers worldwide.

  2. Al Jazeera America

    Landmark global treaty for domestic workers comes into force

    08 September 2013

    There are at least 53 million domestic workers worldwide, excluding child domestic workers. In an interview with Al Jazeera America, Lawrence Jeff Johnson of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines talks about the historic ILO Convention extending basic labour rights to domestic workers around the globe.

  3. © Anwar Amro / AFP 2023

    Convention 189

    Landmark treaty for domestic workers comes into force

    05 September 2013

    This historic ILO Convention gives domestic workers the same rights as other workers.

  4. © Sajjad Hussain / AFP 2023

    “Work in Freedom” Programme

    DFID, ILO to launch new initiative to tackle trafficking of women and girls

    10 July 2013

  5. News

    Declaration of the African Regional Domestic Workers Conference

    02 July 2013

    The Africa Domestic Workers Network (AfDWN) was launched at the African Regional Domestic Workers Conference held on 15-16 June 2013, at Community House in Cape Town. June 16th 2013, marked the second anniversary of the adoption of the ILO Convention 189 for Domestic Workers. The 16th June has also been declared the International Domestic Workers' Day.

  6. Labour standards

    South Africa ratifies four international labour Conventions

    21 June 2013

    The Government of the Republic of South Africa deposited with the International Labour Office the instrument of ratification of four international labour Conventions, the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No.81), the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006), the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188), and the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189).

  7. 102nd International Labour Conference

    ILO and EU-Presidency welcome moves to ensure decent work for domestic workers

    18 June 2013

    Labour and social affair ministers from ten countries, the President of the EU Council, Richard Bruton, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, László Andor, and ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, discuss ways to support ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.