GENEVA / DOMESTIC WORKERS REPORT LAUNCH

The Deputy Director-General of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO), Sandra Polaski, told reporters in Geneva today that millions of domestic workers are highly vulnerable to exploitation because they are not protected under general labour laws. ILO

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:42
• Production Date: 9 January 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION - ILO
• Subject Topical: EMPLOYMENT; EMPLOYMENT; OCCUPATIONS; MANPOWER; OCCUPATIONS; HUMAN RIGHTS
• MAMS Id: U130109a

Description

STORY: GENEVA / DOMESTIC WORKERS REPORT LAUNCH
TRT: 1.42
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 9 JANUARY 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations

9 JANUARY 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Wide shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandra Polaski, ILO Deputy Director-General:
"The report, Domestic Workers across the World, carries two powerful messages; first: domestic work represents a significant share of global wage employment, and demand for it has been growing. Second; the large majority of domestic workers remain excluded from some or all the protections enjoyed by other workers under national labour laws."
4. Close up, report
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandra Polaski, ILO Deputy Director-General:
"Our report focuses specifically on three very important aspects of working conditions of domestic workers; first, working time regulations; second, minimum wage coverage and in kind payments; and third, maternity protection. In all areas, large disparities between domestic workers and other workers become apparent."
6. Med shot, journalist reading report
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandra Polaski, ILO Deputy Director-General:
"Today's report fills an important gap in knowledge about domestic workers and their legislative situation in countries around the world. Research carried out for the report shows that only ten percent of domestic workers are fully covered by general labour legislation to the same extent as other workers in their countries."
8. Close up, report
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandra Polaski, ILO Deputy Director-General:
"It can be seen as a call to action by governments and civil society to repair these critical gaps, by extending legal protection in tune with international standards."
10. Wide shot, flags in front of Palais des Nations

Storyline

Millions of domestic workers around the world are not protected under general labour laws and are highly vulnerable to exploitation, says a United Nations report released today (9 January), which calls on countries to extend social protection to them.

The Deputy Director-General of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO), Sandra Polaski told a press conference in Geneva that “domestic work represents a significant share of global wage employment, and demand for it has been growing”. She noted that “the large majority of domestic workers remain excluded from some or all the protections enjoyed by other workers under national labour laws."

Polaski said that in the data collected for the report, “large disparities between domestic workers and other workers become apparent” in areas such as working time regulations; minimum wage coverage and in kind payments; as well as in maternity protection.

The report, she said, “fills an important gap in knowledge about domestic workers and their legislative situation in countries around the world”. She added that the research carried out shows that “only ten percent of domestic workers are fully covered by general labour legislation to the same extent as other workers in their countries."

Polaski said the report was "a call to action by governments and civil society to repair these critical gaps, by extending legal protection in tune with international standards."

According to the report, more than 52 million people worldwide are employed as domestic workers. While a substantial number are men working as gardeners, drivers or butlers, 80 per cent of them are women.