UN strengthens protection for migrant domestic workers
A high-level United Nations (UN) body has adopted a jurisprudence on the rights of migrant domestic workers worldwide and recognized recommendations for the protection of these workers. On December 2 (Geneva time), the UN Committee on Migrant Workers voted to adopt the proposed jurisprudence or guidance in the form of a general Comment, which interprets the 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. The 1990 convention is one of the nine core international treaties on human rights. It has so far been ratified by 44 countries, including the Philippines, where many domestic workers around the world come from. In a press release, the Geneva-based International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) hailed the development, saying the adoption of the guidance is “extremely important" as more cases of abuse, especially of women and child domestic workers, are being reported. “Our members around the world, and particularly in Asia and the Gulf countries, have long been concerned about the suffering of these workers," said Johan Ketelers, secretary general of the ICMC which has operated safe houses and shelters in Asia, the Middle East and Europe for domestic workers in distress. “The fact that this guidance deepens application of one of the core international human rights treaties is extremely important, and we welcome it," he said. "The new guidance is also relevant to the adoption by the International Labour Organization (ILL) of a separate international rights convention pertaining to all domestic workers, which is expected in June 2011," he added. Rights violated across cultures The ICMC explained the guidance is “evidence-based," drawing from the research focusing on the experience of some 75 countries. ICMC conducted the research along with other organizations such as the: