International Labour Organization’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011

September 5, 2013 marked the coming into force of ILO's Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) which extends the basic labour rights of workplace to domestic workers. It is a huge development in the struggle to recognise the dignity and value of domestic workers and giving them their long-due rights of collective bargaining and fair terms of employment. In the past, the ILO, in its report 'Domestic workers across the world: Global and regional statistics and the extent of legal protection', had identified the widespread prevalence of domestic workers (workforce of 53 million estimated worldwide) and had put forth a case for their legal protection. 

Eight countries have ratified the Convention so far while several others have initiated efforts in this direction. India must also take cue from these global developments and show sensitivity as well as respect to the enormous number of domestic workers it houses by drawing out some basic rights for them. According the aforesaid Report, India is home to eight percent of the world's domestic labour, yet it has never attempted to take steps for their protection. While some states have ensured minimum wages to domestic workers, there has not been a single attempt at the national level but for the draft bill submitted by the National Commission for Women (read more here). In light of the deprivation, disentitlement and neglect that domestic workers have faced over the years at the hands of the state, it is high time the Parliament and the state legislatures start thinking seriously in this direction.