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The Domestic Services Workers Union (DSWU) in Ghana with the support of the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) has organized a three-day workshop training to support a ratification campaign and implementation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 189. The workshop aimed at empowering domestic workers and enhancing their rights and working conditions. This article will delve into the significance of the training, the content covered, and the potential impact on domestic workers in Ghana.
Domestic work is a vital sector that often goes unrecognized and undervalued. It encompasses a range of tasks such as cleaning, cooking, childcare, and elderly care, among others. However, domestic workers face numerous challenges, including low wages, long working hours, lack of social protection, and limited access to labor rights.
In response to these issues, the ILO adopted Convention 189 in 2011. This landmark international treaty establishes specific rights and protections for domestic workers worldwide. It aims at ensuring decent working conditions, fair wages, social security coverage, and protection against abuse and exploitation.
The workshop focused on raising awareness about ILO C189 among domestic workers and equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to advocate for its ratification and effective implementation in Ghana.
Understanding ILO C189: The workshop facilitated by experts in labor rights and international conventions began with an overview of the convention’s key provisions, emphasizing the importance of recognizing domestic work as formal employment and ensuring equal treatment for domestic workers.
Ratification Campaign Strategies: Participants were educated on effective strategies for advocating the ratification of ILO C189 at both national and international levels. This included engaging with policymakers, organizing awareness campaigns, and building alliances with other labor organizations.
The workshop also addressed potential challenges in implementing the convention and discussed strategies to overcome them. This included raising awareness among employers, ensuring compliance with labor laws, and establishing mechanisms for monitoring and reporting violations.
Empowering Domestic Workers: The training emphasized the importance of empowering domestic workers to assert their rights. Participants learned about negotiation skills, collective bargaining, and the role of unions in protecting workers’ interests.
The workshop’s primary goal was to equip domestic workers with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate for their rights and improve their working conditions. By raising awareness about ILO C189, the DSWU aims to mobilize support for its ratification by the Ghanaian government.
Once ratified, ILO C189 will have several positive impacts on domestic workers in Ghana. It will provide legal recognition of their work, ensuring they are entitled to fair wages, reasonable working hours, social security benefits, and protection against discrimination and abuse. Furthermore, it will enable domestic workers to access grievance mechanisms and seek redress for any rights violations.
Conclusion: The Domestic Services Workers Union in Ghana is very grateful to all well-wishers and stakeholders including trade unions, civil society organizations, and government agencies as well as its foreign affiliate, IDWF for all the tremendous support and their role in seeing to the ratification of the ILO C189 which would eventually help achieve a fair and just working conditions for domestic workers in Ghana.
Source: Naa Anyema
