The Committee committed to a timetable for working together with NGOs and international organizations on revising the draft this year, and plans to adopt a final text as the first General Comment under the Migrant Workers Convention at its next session in November.

“ICMC and its members work directly with migrant domestic workers in many countries around the world,” notes ICMC Secretary General, Johan Ketelers. “We are keenly aware of their need for greater protection under national and international frameworks and look forward to the finalization and adoption of the General Comment on migrant domestic workers later this year.”

ICMC, Caritas Internationalis, and the International NGO Platform on the Migrant Workers' Convention (NGO Platform), were pleased to contribute to the work of the Committee and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), particularly in the organization of a Day of General Discussion on migrant domestic workers held by the Committee in October 2009.

While addressing the Migrant Worker's Committee this morning, ICMC Head of Policy and Chair of the NGO Platform, John Bingham, emphasized the need to continue to work on the draft in consultation and collaboration with ICMC and the Platform’s members worldwide, other NGOs, faith-based and labour organizations.

“We and our members are committed to engaging with you—as we did in the organization of the Day of General Discussion—in communication, consultation and collaboration on the Draft to achieve a General Comment on migrant domestic workers that is both strong and effective,” stated Bingham. “Our members are committed to continuing to work with the Committee on the draft itself, including through consultations, and to broaden awareness of the Committee’s work on the Comment at events connected to important processes.”

2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their families. The Convention sets out legal standards and provides guidance for national laws and policies that recognise the specific vulnerabilities of migrants and promote humane and lawful working and living conditions. In light of this anniversary, the adoption of a comment focussing on migrant domestic workers is welcome as a beacon of hope for migrant domestic workers and the protection of their rights. 

Hope for migrant domestic workers as UN Committee moves towards adoption of General Comment (369.4 KB)