The adoption by the International Labour Conference, on 16 June 2011, of ILO Convention No. 189 and Recommendation No. 201 on decent work for domestic workers, was an historic step in the struggle for social justice worldwide. The new Convention reinforces and highlights the international right of domestic workers to join or form trade unions. When governments ratify the Convention, this right will also have to be included under national law. This ILO manual is therefore designed to support the organizing of domestic workers into trade unions.

The first part provides ten good reasons why trade unions should be fighting for ratification and implementation. Part 2 is an organizing manual, in which approaches to organizing are suggested, based on the experiences of domestic worker organizations and trade unions that have successfully organized and defended the rights of domestic workers. Part 3 then acts as a user’s guide on the necessary steps that must be taken for a Convention to be ratified. The final part provides examples of victories that have resulted from successful organizing around the world.

This manual is also available on the ILO Website, at http://www.ilo.org/actrav/info/fs/WCMS_181344/lang--en/index.htm

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This study centers on the different relations between the existence of child labour and the lack of decent work for adults. It examines trade union, nongovernmental organisation, government and ILO programmes to fight child labour in nine countries – India, Nepal, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Brazil, Morocco, Tanzania and Albania


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This report describes the situation of commercial sexual exploitation in three Asian countries (Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines) as it was in 2001. Its main goal is to show what the trade unions could do to help in the fight against such exploitation.


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