​Behind Closed Doors: Global Seminar on the Human Rights of Migrant Domestic Workers

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will lead a global seminar on the human rights of migrant domestic workers in an irregular situation, to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, on 28-29 September 2015.

More than 50 million people work as domestic workers around the world. Of these, a significant number are migrants, including migrants who are in an irregular situation. A large proportion of domestic workers are women. The work they do is invaluable. Among myriad other tasks, domestic workers iron, clean, cook, garden, drive, and take care of children and the elderly. This is necessary work, but work that often goes unnoticed and unprotected.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will hold the two-day global seminar on the human rights of migrant domestic workers in an irregular situation, aiming to shed light on these often hidden experiences and challenges.

This seminar is taking place under the auspices of the Global Action Programme on Migrant Domestic Workers and their Families, which seeks to address the specific challenges migrant domestic workers face by implementing global advocacy and knowledge development initiatives. The Global Action Programme is implemented by the ILO, in collaboration with OHCHR, UN Women, the International Domestic Workers Network, the International Trade Union Confederation, and the Confederation of Indonesia Prosperity Trade Union, with the financial support of the European Union.

Participants will include; human rights mechanisms; government representatives; United Nations agencies; national human rights institutions; human rights and migrants' rights NGOs; domestic worker associations and migrant associations; trade unions; and academic experts.