core sector communique

Proposal for placing the new Instrument adopted by ILO Domestic Workers Convention and Domestic Workers Recommendation approved

The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal for placing the new instrument adopted by International Labour Organisation (ILO) - Domestic Workers Convention (C-189) and Domestic Workers Recommendation (R-201) before the Parliament.

The International Labour Conference(ILC) of ILO at its 100th Session held in Geneva in June, 2011 adopted the Domestic Workers Convention (C-189) supplemented by the Domestic Workers Recommendation (R-201). India is one of the founder members of ILO. The Indian government delegation to ILC led by the Union Minister for Labour and Employment supported the adoption of the Domestic Workers Convention and Recommendation.

Background:

Domestic workers constitute a huge segment of the workforce especially in the developing countries. Domestic work is informal, undocumented and poorly regulated. Migrant domestic workers are worse affected. It has also been observed that domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation and trafficking.

There are about 6.4 million domestic workers in India as per available statistics. A large number of such workers come from poor and backward areas and are illiterate and unskilled.