Online petition launched to fast track ratification of ILO Convention 189

International community has called on the Philippine government to ratify the Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers or ILO C189 through an online petition.

The appeal organized by Walk Free, an international movement committed to end modern-day slavery gained international support right after it was launched. Only within 24 hours after it was uploaded online, over 20,000 individuals from all over the globe signed up and showed support. Numbers of supporters continue to grow everyday.  

Uruguay was the first to ratify the said convention. Only one more country needs to ratify the ILO C189 for it to come into force. Once ratified, millions of Filipino domestic workers will benefit from this.

Destination and source countries will be required to come up with enabling laws and programs that will support the sector. In the country, ILO C189 ratification is also seen to pave the way for the passage of Batas Kasambahay.

According to the 2010 Labor Force Survey (LFS) an estimated 2 million Filipinos are working as domestic workers within the country.

The Philippines is also one of the top sending countries of domestic workers abroad. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) data shows there were 96,483 Filipino domestic workers deployed abroad in 2010 alone. Most them are working in the Middle East. 

Visayan Forum (VF) assisted 510 abused domestic workers per year since 2001. Almost 98% of complainants are female. Usual abuses are physical, verbal, and sexual in nature. Huge number of these cases also involved non-payment of wages and social security. 



VF also receives human trafficking cases reports related with domestic work. Most of them are bound for Malaysia, Singapore, and Middle East countries.

The ratification of the Convention is expected to address the most pressing issue that domestic workers are faced nowadays. On May 18, 2012, President Benigno Aquino III affixed his signature to ratify the Convention. However, the Philippine Senate has the constitutional mandate to concur with international agreements entered into by the Chief Executive. All eyes are now on the senators on how they will vote on the issue.

Click here to support the campaign.