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Global action programme on migrant domestic workers and their families - Final Evaluation

eval_number:

1947

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/1947

lessons_learned:

themes:

theme:

Domestic work

category:

Sector

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comments:

Trade Unions or organisations that support MDWs.

challenges:

Sometimes capacities within trade unions to organise informal workers is weak. Interviewees reported that the capacity of trade unions to address migration issues amongst their members varies a lot from union to union. For instance trade unions in Asia are more familiar with migration issues. In Africa the issues of rights for migrant workers is more recently on the political agenda, often with negative connotations. Although the ILO in Africa has created some platforms for migrants, their existence needs to be disseminated more. Others reported that in initiatives that focus on migrant domestic workers, the voices of domestic workers at the international platforms particularly in trainings, in the trade union movement, and in international events could sometimes be made more visible. Interviewees reiterated how difficult it is for domestic workers unions to keep members, nationals or migrants. Many reported (for example in South Africa staff from the PTAWU union & SADSAWU) that domestic workers are scared to join trade unions. Members tend to join and leave, or only turn to the trade union in time of crisis. Fear amongst migrant domestic workers (particularly irregular workers) is the biggest hindrance for union membership. They are afraid that if their employers’ find out they attended union activities, they will lose their job. In South Africa for example, migrants fear unions are too militant.

success:

SADSAWU managed to increase their migrant domestic union membership. To reach out to MDWs SADAWU organized cultural evenings, where migrant domestic workers demonstrated food, theatre, songs or cultural issues that may differ from South Africans. Music/songs were reported as good for solidarity. SADSAWU set up a committee for organizing MDWs and focused on how to actually do it. Tools provided through the GAP-MDW provided practical advice on how to organise. SADSAWU combined organizing MDWs with other union activities, such as the ‘My Fair Home Campaign.’ They organised a visit to Zimbabwe to understand the situation the migrant domestic workers were coming from.

context:

Putting MDWs at the centre requires a ‘community development’ approach, which in turn involves a process where community leaders/ members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems, often through a process of critical thinking. Some interviewed for this evaluation reported that to organise domestic workers, or to set up a domestic workers union, it is important to work first with NGOs or associations that migrants trust (such as a migrant centre, organizations that deal with gender based violence). Domestic workers, and in particular migrants will not trust unions, unless the organizations that directly help them collaborate, trust and align with unions. Support through a project such as GAP-MDW should be to facilitate such a process, with an acknowledgement that building trust takes time. Community work, although a slow and deep process of politicization with marginalised groups requires investment (in addition to skills, knowledge and practical experience). In South Africa, SADSAWU have good experiences to share regarding mobilizing and contacting domestic workers including migrant domestic workers and work closely with facilitators who adopt a community development approach. They have a target to reach 5000 domestic workers but the end of 2016. The Global Report on Migrant Domestic Workers provides more detail on how SADSAWU operates in practice.

description:

High-level initiatives always require that migrant domestic workers voices remain a central focus (as the ultimate beneficiaries, or rights holders). It is imperative to always ensure project elements that provide support for Domestic Workers to organise The process of organizing domestic workers itself is extremely important for efforts to be sustained. This lesson learned came from:  SADSAWU in South Africa;  reports form earlier participatory action research with the Domestic Workers Union in Lebanon; and  interviews with the Migrant Rights Council of Ireland (MRCI). Evidence points to the importance of adapting a ‘community development’ perspective when bringing domestic workers together at the early stages of setting up structures to support them to organise. Where the project worked with domestic workers unions (SADSAWU in South Africa); considerable opportunities were in place to strengthen these unions or organisations. However it is worth remembering that global projects must target the organizations/institution that can contribute to policy change and potentially impact large numbers of women. To whatever extent a project bidding process allows, planning should be done in consultation with those organization that represent domestic workers or directly service them. Evidently, interaction with organization that represent domestic workers or directly service them should continue throughout project implementation to ensure the project remains on the right track, and continues to address the key issues affecting the ultimate beneficiaries.

administrative_issues:

An investment towards ‘Community Development’ approaches requires funds and patience and will not occur overnight. If time and funds are allocated there will some domestic worker leaders continuing to be engaged and involved in social justice issues for domestic workers at different levels demonstrate sustainable impacts as.

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/lessons/186173

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location:

country:

Inter-Regional

region:

Inter-Regional

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eval_title:

Global action programme on migrant domestic workers and their families - Final Evaluation