Caritas members in Latin America for example are urging all people who employ a domestic worker or who have family members or friends engaged in this type of work to say a Rosary to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Credits: Caritas Latin America

The 12 December 2012 is a worldwide day of action in support of decent working conditions for domestic workers, both adults and minors.

Caritas has joined up with the International Trade Union Federation in asking 12 governments to ratify International Labour Organisation (ILO) ‘Convention 189’ by this date. Five countries, Uruguay, Philippines, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Bolivia, have so far ratified the convention.

Ratification means that domestic workers have real access to redress mechanisms, when their contracts or their rights in general are not respected. It’s also a deterrent for employment agencies and employers who do not play by the rules.

On 12.12.2012 we want added pressure on those government who have not ratified to do so and ensure millions domestic workers worldwide can now look forward to being treated with the respect they deserve.

Caritas members in Latin America for example are urging all people who employ a domestic worker or who have family members or friends engaged in this type of work to say a Rosary to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The apron in the picture is the symbol of this campaign.

Please spread the message on the need to respect and protect domestic workers’ rights in law and practice through Social Media or find out about events in your community here.

Please report your activities to: equality@ituc-csi.org and in copy a Caritas Internationalis: suelzu@caritas.va as member of the campaign.

What is the 12 by 12 campaign

Across the world, vulnerable people—particularly women and minors —are exploited when they go abroad as domestic workers. With no laws to protect them, housemaids suffer abuse, withheld wages and more.

Caritas Internationalis has participated in an international advocacy campaign for the adoption of an ILO Convention regulating domestic work. The Convention (No. 189) with an attached recommendation (No. 201) was adopted on 16 June 2011 during the International Labor Conference in Geneva. It was a major breakthrough and the recognition of domestic work as real work.

Caritas has joined with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to promote the ratification and implementation of Convention No. 189. The ITUC has launched the “12 by 12” worldwide campaign to have 12 countries, as a start, ratify Convention No. 189 by the end of 2012.