The plight of migrant women in the service of global economy

The Philippines is the top exporter of women’s labour mainly in entertainment and domestic work and, as the economic crisis continues to deepen, thousands of Filipinos leave the country each day. What was once considered a temporary solution to the unemployment problem has become a permanent strategy of survival for women wishing to provide for their families.

Campaigning around the common issues of violent abuse and exploitation commonly experienced by domestic workers is difficult. It is hard to address issues experienced by migrant women, given that their work is isolated, not valued or respected and often regarded as low-skilled. To this day, domestic workers remain excluded from many national and international laws.

When it comes to domestic women workers very little has been done to recognize the contributions and sacrifices they make. Physically, the long working hours are hard, but those who suffer the worst are the ones who are beaten or sexually abused. A lot of women are in that situation. It is really sad: they work within a family, they should feel safe and happy there, but the opposite is true.

Private homes can be a dangerous place for domestic workers. The work situation is particularly bad for women employed by diplomats. If the workers escape, they end up being illegals. A visa is our life, and being illegal is the worst that can happen because domestic workers become more invisible, more isolated, and employers abuse them more.

I left the Philippines for the first time when I was 24 years old, when my youngest daughter was only one year old. When I went back two years later, the saddest thing was that she didn’t recognise me. My children are my flesh and blood; they are the reason I work so hard, but we must not forget that our children are also making a sacrifice because it is hard to grow up without your parents at your side.

It is hard to find the strength in your life when you experience forced separation and distance from family - especially for mothers of children left behind. Emotionally, the worst torture is not being able to see your own children. Women often find themselves in a painful empty space and some return home lifeless, finding out that while away their children might have turned to drugs or prostitution, because no one was there to guide them.

Migrant women cope with their difficult situations by relying on their own strengths, accessing support through their networks, and  non-governmental organisations' assistance where available. However, it can be very difficult for domestic workers to access legislative protection, especially when they are tied to employers' support both in living and visa status.

Migrant domestic workers have managed to raise their concerns across a broad range of different stakeholders, including migrant organisations and trade unions. Some have campaigned for the recognition and protection of persons working as domestic workers. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has placed on its 99^th session Agenda Decent Work for Domestic workers. This was discussed among governments, employers and trade unions in June 2010.

The creation of a new ILO International Convention on Domestic Work is an opportunity to provide critically needed protections for some of the world’s most vulnerable workers, to prevent human trafficking, forced labour and the worst forms of child labour, common to domestic work.