Shaking the Foundations of the Global Economy

The hyper-exploitation of domestic workers constitutes a fundamental pillar of the contemporary global economy. Domestic work is closely linked to the devaluation of feminized care work as well as to colonial legacies and racism. Consequently, domestic workers face enormous obstacles to fighting for their rights – yet at the same time, they have a pivotal role to play in fostering a more fundamental social transformation.

How does organizing function in this context? What are domestic workers’ immediate goals, and how can they be linked to a broader transformative vision? What is their relation to feminist and anti-racist social movements, not to mention traditional trade unions? And how can domestic workers articulate their collective interests at the transnational level?

Speakers:

Betty Abah is a Nigerian women and children’s rights advocate and founder of the nonprofit, the Centre for Children's Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), a non-profit working for the rights and development of marginalized young people, including young female domestic workers.

Deborah Carlos-Valencia, born in the Philippines, she has gained a vast experience in community organizing and empowering migrant women as a Co-Founder of various organizations in Europe, most recently MELISSA – Network of Migrant Women in Greece, an organization bringing together migrant and refugee women and promoting their empowerment.

Maya John is a labour historian teaching in the University of Delhi, India, and Convenor of Gharelu Kamgar Union, a union of domestic workers.

Moderated by the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung

The event will be livestreamed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/904073790141575/