Rejoicing and Hoping for Women Migrant Domestic Workers
Migrant Forum in Asia Statement for International Women’s Day
8 March 2010
March 8, 2010 is a milestone for women’s rights advocacy. Today, we mark the
centennial of 8 March as International Women’s Day and 35 years after the United
Nations declared 8 March as International Women’s Day. 2010 also commemorates the
15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action.
For women migrants employed in the domestic sector, this year is made more significant
with the International Labour Conference (ILC) taking up in its agenda “Decent Work
for Domestic Workers” with the aim of developing an International Labour
Organization Convention that will provide for the protection of the rights of domestic
workers.
Just a few days ago, the ILO released its second report on “Decent Work for Domestic
Workers” which carries the responses of 75 member States, including 19 from Asia, to a
Questionnaire on the idea of an International Convention for Domestic workers.
Governments in Asia have indicated their general support in principle for a convention
on domestic workers which would offer recognition to domestic workers as workers.
We are heartened by this possibility of a historic move on the part of the ILO to
recognize and protect the rights of domestic workers.
MFA calls for governments to support an International Convention on Domestic
Workers supplemented by a recommendation. We would also like to call for clear
guidelines in implementing the convention, monitoring mechanisms as well as periodic
reporting of member states to the ILO in terms of their compliance to this convention.
Women migrant workers and migrant domestic workers in particular have contributed to
the growth of the economies of developed countries. Yet these migrant domestic
workers are yet to be recognized as workers. They are not included in national labour
legislation, endure human and labour rights violations, and most importantly, are denied
of their right to freedom of association or right to join and form associations and unions.
The lingering global economic crisis is severely affecting migrant workers. A big
number of migrants were sent home as more and more companies were forced to shut
down. Women migrant workers who are often the economic backbones of their families
face greater challenges such as the rising cost of basic needs like food, clothing and
shelter. As governments evaluate and implement new policies for recovery, we urge
them to review their policies concerning migration and development, as well as to not
rely on migrant remittances to shore up the country’s economy.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2010, we take pride in the ability of
migrant women to face the enormous challenges prevailing everywhere: the global
financial crisis, natural and human-effected disasters and climate change, and the
detention and deportation of undocumented migrant workers, to name a few.

We reaffirm our commitment to protect and promote the rights of women migrant workers.
We call on governments to:
1. Support an ILO Convention for the domestic workers
2. Recognize the contributions of Migrant Domestic Workers in the economies of countries of
origin and destination
3. Recognize Domestic Workers as Workers and uphold their right to freedom of association;
to form and join associations and trade unions
4. Ratify the UN 1990 International Convention on the Rights of Migrants and Members of
their Families
5. Stop the arbitrary detention and deportation of undocumented migrant workers.
We recognize and honor the efforts of all women and men to advance the struggle for equality,
freedom and advancement of all women!

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