To start pageBeyond Convention 189
The International Labour Organization’s Convention 189 on the rights of domestic workers, adopted ten years ago on 16 June 2011, marked the culmination of a hard-fought struggle and a major victory for domestic workers. For the first time, they were recognized as workers and granted basic labour rights.
To mark the Convention’s tenth anniversary, we take a critical look at the gaps between international norms, national laws, and their practical implementation. Diving deeper into the concrete lives and realities of those who perform these highly precarious and devalued jobs also reveals the challenges that have always transcended the Convention and cannot be solved by it alone. Finally, we highlight the collective experiences of organizations that struggle against their employers while at the same time asserting their position within the trade unions and the broader working-class movement.
