RECOGNIZING WOMEN ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Asian Migrant Domestic Workers’ Alliance (ADWA) 8 March 2009 Statement
ADWA SECRETARIAT, Philippines 'A woman’s work is never done' is a saying that resonates audibly not just today, International Women’s Day, but ever more so amidst the economic crisis that grips all of us the world over. In a climate of global recession that is expected to be deep, lasting, and far worse than the Great Depression of the 1930s, women will undoubtedly find themselves the hardest hit of the worst direct and spillover effects of the crisis. Juan Somavia, International Labor Organization chief, said in a statement released prior to International Women’s Day celebrations that, “in times of economic upheaval, women often experience the negative consequences more rapidly and are slower to enjoy the benefits of recovery.”
Migrant domestic workers, mostly women, are already in the most insecure of environments where work is often casual, temporary, sub-contracted, or even informal, where benefits and conditions are not standardized – no minimum wage, no set working hours, no social security, and no provisions for occupational safety – and where there is not even a semblance of recognition of basic human rights.
Furthermore, despite the significant contributions of women to their households and families (both their own and where they work), to communities and countries (both of origin and destination), and to the industries and economies to which they selflessly invest their time, skills, labor, sweat, and tears, women have yet to enjoy the recognition they have so long deserved.
Domestic work is yet to be fully and widely recognized as work, which means domestic workers, mostly women, are yet to be covered by labor laws that protect and promote the rights, welfare, and dignity of workers.
Women have yet to enjoy equal pay for equal work. Women have less social protection than men. Women are more likely to be laid off from their jobs before men. Granted, gender gaps have existed long before this recent wave of economic meltdown. However, it is of paramount concern to us that the gap be recognized for it to be properly and sufficiently addressed. It is, therefore, critical to ensure that gender equality be made part and parcel of any viable and sustainable response to the crisis we now face.
In the midst of this worsening, widespread, and devastating economic crisis, migrant domestic workers, mostly women, anticipate increase in abuse, exploitation, and discrimination. We fear that as our employers feel the brunt of the crisis and the deepening recession, our work, livelihood, and security will be equally endangered and compromised. In concrete terms, we fear the worst of the 1997 Asian financial crisis will be nothing compared to what we expect towards the end of 2009 and with lingering and escalating effects in 2010 and 2011.
Our fears are many and are increasing by the day. We fear terminations, cuts in paid work hours, further slashes in our already low wages. Our employers will most likely scrimp on the already meager provisions for our daily needs for sustenance – food, medicine, and other necessities for decent living conditions.
And yet with or without a global economic crisis and its attendant recession, migrant domestic workers, mostly women, already confront the harsh realities of abuse, exploitation, and discrimination at the hands of governments, both of origin and destination, employers, and recruitment agencies. Thus, with or without a global economic crisis, it is not merely a case of women’s work never being done; it’s about women forging on and toiling even harder to enjoy even the faintest recesses of the fruits of their labor and struggle.
It is in recognition of women and women’s valuable contributions that ADWA today and always will support calls for the recognition of women’s rights as human rights. There is no time as the present to reward the long and laborious women’s struggle for recognition of what are inalienable rights that will protect and promote the welfare and dignity of women the world over.
ADWA supports women and domestic workers in the struggle to keep the jobs we hold, to resist any moves that imperil our lives and livelihoods with the imminent cuts in jobs and wages and reductions in benefits and the already inadequate social services afforded to us.
ADWA supports women and domestic workers in lobbying for responses to the global financial crisis that are gender-sensitive, comprehensive, and cognizant of the indispensability of rights-based approaches to migration and development issues.
ADWA supports women and domestic workers in the continuing engagement with the campaign on recognizing Domestic Work as Work that builds on the Decent Work for Domestic Workers agenda of the ILO for the highly anticipated and long overdue Convention on domestic workers.
ADWA celebrates International Women’s Day with women and domestic workers all over the world, but especially our friends and partners in Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan.
ADWA celebrates women and domestic workers who tirelessly and unceasingly forge on despite the climate of abuse, exploitation, and discrimination and amidst the global financial crisis that threatens to further endanger the already precarious situations we find ourselves in.
Today, more than ever, even as we celebrate and recognize the work we have done and the contributions we have selflessly given, we likewise acknowledge and readily take on the reality that a woman’s work is never done. Our work is not done. The struggle continues, the challenges intensify, and we forge on ahead and work our way out of the crisis and towards the road to recognition of our rights.
Women’s work is work!
Domestic work is work!
Migrants’ rights are human rights!
Support the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers!
The Asian Migrant Domestic Workers’ Alliance (ADWA) is an Asian regional alliance of and for migrant domestic workers (MDWs). It is a self-representative alliance that promotes, protects, and advocates for the rights, interests, welfare, dignity, and status of DWs, specifically MDWs.
ADWA and its members subscribe to the following common positions:
• Domestic work is work.
• Migrants’ rights are human rights.
• Women’s work is work – gender equality and justice.
• Equal pay for equal work – non-discrimination.
• Right to development – social and economic justice, participation, and empowerment of MDWs.
--
MARISSA D. de GUZMAN
ADWA Secretariat
c/o Migrant Forum in Asia
59-B Malumanay Street
Teachers' Village, Quezon City
1104 PHILIPPINES
Phone: (632) 433-3508
Fax: (632) 433-1292
Email: adwasecretariat@gmail.com
ADWA SECRETARIAT, Philippines 'A woman’s work is never done' is a saying that resonates audibly not just today, International Women’s Day, but ever more so amidst the economic crisis that grips all of us the world over. In a climate of global recession that is expected to be deep, lasting, and far worse than the Great Depression of the 1930s, women will undoubtedly find themselves the hardest hit of the worst direct and spillover effects of the crisis. Juan Somavia, International Labor Organization chief, said in a statement released prior to International Women’s Day celebrations that, “in times of economic upheaval, women often experience the negative consequences more rapidly and are slower to enjoy the benefits of recovery.”
Migrant domestic workers, mostly women, are already in the most insecure of environments where work is often casual, temporary, sub-contracted, or even informal, where benefits and conditions are not standardized – no minimum wage, no set working hours, no social security, and no provisions for occupational safety – and where there is not even a semblance of recognition of basic human rights.
Furthermore, despite the significant contributions of women to their households and families (both their own and where they work), to communities and countries (both of origin and destination), and to the industries and economies to which they selflessly invest their time, skills, labor, sweat, and tears, women have yet to enjoy the recognition they have so long deserved.
Domestic work is yet to be fully and widely recognized as work, which means domestic workers, mostly women, are yet to be covered by labor laws that protect and promote the rights, welfare, and dignity of workers.
Women have yet to enjoy equal pay for equal work. Women have less social protection than men. Women are more likely to be laid off from their jobs before men. Granted, gender gaps have existed long before this recent wave of economic meltdown. However, it is of paramount concern to us that the gap be recognized for it to be properly and sufficiently addressed. It is, therefore, critical to ensure that gender equality be made part and parcel of any viable and sustainable response to the crisis we now face.
In the midst of this worsening, widespread, and devastating economic crisis, migrant domestic workers, mostly women, anticipate increase in abuse, exploitation, and discrimination. We fear that as our employers feel the brunt of the crisis and the deepening recession, our work, livelihood, and security will be equally endangered and compromised. In concrete terms, we fear the worst of the 1997 Asian financial crisis will be nothing compared to what we expect towards the end of 2009 and with lingering and escalating effects in 2010 and 2011.
Our fears are many and are increasing by the day. We fear terminations, cuts in paid work hours, further slashes in our already low wages. Our employers will most likely scrimp on the already meager provisions for our daily needs for sustenance – food, medicine, and other necessities for decent living conditions.
And yet with or without a global economic crisis and its attendant recession, migrant domestic workers, mostly women, already confront the harsh realities of abuse, exploitation, and discrimination at the hands of governments, both of origin and destination, employers, and recruitment agencies. Thus, with or without a global economic crisis, it is not merely a case of women’s work never being done; it’s about women forging on and toiling even harder to enjoy even the faintest recesses of the fruits of their labor and struggle.
It is in recognition of women and women’s valuable contributions that ADWA today and always will support calls for the recognition of women’s rights as human rights. There is no time as the present to reward the long and laborious women’s struggle for recognition of what are inalienable rights that will protect and promote the welfare and dignity of women the world over.
ADWA supports women and domestic workers in the struggle to keep the jobs we hold, to resist any moves that imperil our lives and livelihoods with the imminent cuts in jobs and wages and reductions in benefits and the already inadequate social services afforded to us.
ADWA supports women and domestic workers in lobbying for responses to the global financial crisis that are gender-sensitive, comprehensive, and cognizant of the indispensability of rights-based approaches to migration and development issues.
ADWA supports women and domestic workers in the continuing engagement with the campaign on recognizing Domestic Work as Work that builds on the Decent Work for Domestic Workers agenda of the ILO for the highly anticipated and long overdue Convention on domestic workers.
ADWA celebrates International Women’s Day with women and domestic workers all over the world, but especially our friends and partners in Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan.
ADWA celebrates women and domestic workers who tirelessly and unceasingly forge on despite the climate of abuse, exploitation, and discrimination and amidst the global financial crisis that threatens to further endanger the already precarious situations we find ourselves in.
Today, more than ever, even as we celebrate and recognize the work we have done and the contributions we have selflessly given, we likewise acknowledge and readily take on the reality that a woman’s work is never done. Our work is not done. The struggle continues, the challenges intensify, and we forge on ahead and work our way out of the crisis and towards the road to recognition of our rights.
Women’s work is work!
Domestic work is work!
Migrants’ rights are human rights!
Support the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers!
The Asian Migrant Domestic Workers’ Alliance (ADWA) is an Asian regional alliance of and for migrant domestic workers (MDWs). It is a self-representative alliance that promotes, protects, and advocates for the rights, interests, welfare, dignity, and status of DWs, specifically MDWs.
ADWA and its members subscribe to the following common positions:
• Domestic work is work.
• Migrants’ rights are human rights.
• Women’s work is work – gender equality and justice.
• Equal pay for equal work – non-discrimination.
• Right to development – social and economic justice, participation, and empowerment of MDWs.
--
MARISSA D. de GUZMAN
ADWA Secretariat
c/o Migrant Forum in Asia
59-B Malumanay Street
Teachers' Village, Quezon City
1104 PHILIPPINES
Phone: (632) 433-3508
Fax: (632) 433-1292
Email: adwasecretariat@gmail.com
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