This article addresses labour struggles in one of the largest informal occupations: domestic work. In June 2011, the International Labour Conference adopted a Domestic Workers Convention after a 2-year negotiating process and a long period of struggle of domestic workers’ organizations for recognition, rights and respect as workers. This article describes this process of organizing and lobbying at various levels. Fighting for an International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention was seen as a means to build a global domestic workers’ movement. The article stresses the importance of enabling domestic workers to speak for themselves in order to negotiate the Convention on equal terms.
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