Australia Network News

More than 10 million children work as

domestic servants: ILO
Updated Wed Jun 12, 2013 8:20pm AEST

Photo: A child labourer washes dishes at a

house in the north eastern Indian city of Siliguri. (Reuters: Rupak De Chowdhur)
Map: Asia
The International LabourOrganisation says as many as 10.5 million children worldwide, mostly
girls, are working as domestic servants.
Constance Thomas, director of the ILO's global program to eliminate child labour, says the
situation exists despite international efforts to halt such exploitation
"The situation of many child domestic workers not only constitutes a serious violation of child
rights, but remains an obstacle to the achievement of many national and international
development objectives," she said.
Almost three quarters of these child domestic servants are girls, with 6.5 million child servants
between 5 and 14 years old, according to an ILO report.
The 87-page report has been released to mark the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12.
The ILO says children often work in the homes of a third party or employer, carrying out tasks
such as cleaning, ironing, cooking, gardening, collecting water, looking after other children and
caring for the elderly.

Vulnerable to physical, psychological and sexual violence and abusive working conditions, they
are often isolated from their families, hidden from the public eye, and become highly dependent
on their employers.
The ILO says the children also risk being forced into prostitution.
"We need a robust legal framework to clearly identify, prevent and eliminate child labour in
domestic work, and to provide decent working conditions to adolescents when they can legally
work," Ms Thomas said.
Child domestic work is not recognised as a form of child labour in many countries because of the
blurred relationship with the employing family, the report said.
The ILO says such children are not considered workers and, while they live in a family setting,
are not treated as a family member.
Child domestic servants represent about five per cent of all children under the age of 17 in
employment around the world, according to ILO figures.
More than 20 million people, mostly female, are employed by private households in the Asia
Pacific region, which is more than 3 per cent of all paid employees, according to the ILO's
report.
Tens of thousands of female domestic workers migrate from countries such as Indonesia, the
Philippines and Sri Lanka.
The report says poverty is the main driver of child labour exploitation and in some locations,
particularly South Asia, it is not uncommon to find children working as domestic workers to
repay family debts.

Pope slams child exploitation

Meanwhile, Pope Francis has railed against the "deplorable" exploitation of children in domestic
work.
"There are millions of minors, mostly young girls, who are victims of this form of hidden
exploitation which often includes sexual abuse, poor treatment and discrimination," he said in a
message to mark World Day Against Child Labour.
Francis called on the international community "to take ever more effective measures to fight this
plague," which he said was "a deplorable phenomenon constantly on the increase."
"It is slavery!" Francis told 60,000 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for his weekly
audience.

"All children should be able to play, study, pray and grow, in their own families, in a harmonious
environment, one of love and serenity. It is their right and our duty," he said.
"Woe betide those who stifle the joyous impulse of hope," he added.

The Independent :
10 million children work as domestic servants in slave-like conditions, says
UN labour agency

Thursday 13 June 2013

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Africa

As many as 10.5 million children worldwide work as domestic servants, in what can
be hazardous and even slave-like conditions, the International Labour Organization
said.
The UN labour agency said almost three quarters of such youngsters are girls, and
that 6.5 million child servants are between five and 14 years old.
The reality on the ground flies in the face of international efforts to halt such
exploitation, said Constance Thomas, director of the ILO's global programme to
eliminate child labour.
"The situation of many child domestic workers not only constitutes a serious
violation of child rights, but remains an obstacle to the achievement of many
national and international development objectives," she said.
The problem is global though sub-Saharan Africa remains a leading concern, notably
countries such as Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Mali, according to the ILO.
In an 87-page report released to mark World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, it
also underscored that rural families in Pakistan and Nepal are sometimes forced to
send their children into domestic service in order to pay off their debts.
In Haiti, hundreds of thousands of children, including those who have escaped
natural disasters, have ended up in domestic work little better than slavery.
And thousands of young girls from Ethiopia are every year sent to the Middle East to
work as servants.
The ILO said such youngsters usually work in the homes of a third party or
employer, carrying out tasks such as cleaning, ironing, cooking, gardening,
collecting water, looking after other children and caring for the elderly.
Vulnerable to physical, psychological and sexual violence and abusive working
conditions, they are often isolated from their families, hidden from the public eye,
and become highly dependent on their employers.

They can also risk ending up being forced into prostitution, the ILO said.
"We need a robust legal framework to clearly identify, prevent and eliminate child
labour in domestic work, and to provide decent working conditions to adolescents
when they can legally work," Thomas said.
Child domestic work is not recognised as a form of child labour in many countries
because of the blurred relationship with the employing family, the report said.
Such children work but are not considered workers and, while they live in a family
setting, are not treated as a family member, it said.
This "care vacuum" opens the way to exploitation, but such youngsters are difficult
to protect because they can be hidden from the public eye.
Child domestic servants represent some five percent of all children under the age of
17 in employment around the world, according to ILO figures.

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CHILD LABOR AND ENSLAVEMENT IN

GHANAS LAKE VOLTA FISHING
INDUSTRY
July 31, 2013
By Sharon L. Fawcett, CLC Intern
For a small sum of money, James Kofi Annans father handed him over to a child trafficker when
he was just six years old. Born into a family in Ghana with 12 children, there was no money for
school uniforms and books. So instead of gaining an academic education, James would learn
the painful lessons of the enslaved, in Ghanas fishing villages.
Sold by his trafficker to a Lake Volta fisherman, James worked 17 hours per day, enduring
constant physical and emotional abuse. When displeased, his master often withheld food, beat
him with a paddle, or threw him in the lake.
Lake Volta, one of the worlds largest man-made lakes, was created by the construction of
Ghanas Askombo dam in the 1960s. Although the lake provided a bountiful supply of fish for
many years, fish stocks have been declining in recent years, making it more difficult for
fishermen to earn a living. Children provide a cheap source of labor and their tiny fingers prove
useful for picking the fish that are captured in the nets webbing, as the holes get increasingly
smaller to catch smaller fish.

Poster, Fisher of Kids

The children trafficked to work in Ghanas fishing industry as bonded laborers are as young as
four years of age. Their tasks may include paddling boats, hauling nets, or performing domestic
labor in the homes of fishermen. Like James Kofi Annan, these children work long hours for no
pay; do not attend school; and are often malnourished, sleep deprived, and treated abusively.
Nets often get snagged on submerged tree branches and children forced to dive underwater to
free them risk water-borne diseases and drowning.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International
Labor Organization (ILO), 60 percent of the worlds 215 million child laborers work in the
agricultural sectorcomprising activities in agriculture, livestock-raising, forestry, and fishing.
In Ghana, one in six children aged six to 14 are involved in child labor. Eighty-eight percent
of them work on farms; another 2.3 percent in fishing.
Work that is likely to harm the health, safety, or morals of children is categorized as
hazardous by the ILO. This is the kind of work Lake Voltas child fishers are exposed to, among
the worst forms of child labor.
Ghana has ratified several international conventions that establish standards to protect children
from exploitative work, including the ILOs Minimum Age Convention (C138) and the Worst

Forms of Child Labor Convention (C182). It also has national laws restricting child labor, but the
laws are not vigorously enforced. The minimum age for work in Ghana is 15 years; 18 years for
hazardous work. However, the practice of children working is commonly accepted in Ghanaian
society.
While education is compulsory and free in Ghana, the fees for uniforms and books provide a
barrier for many families in Ghanas agricultural communities and education is not necessarily
considered more beneficial for children than work and learning a trade is. A 2013 World Bank
study found that among Ghanaian household heads who are self-employed in agriculture, those
with no schooling earn as much as those who have finished 9 years of basic education.
Poverty, views on education, and social customs combine to make rural families vulnerable to
traffickers or fishermen who come with promises to provide children with opportunities to
learn a trade and receive payment when the training period ends.
In 2010, the Government of Ghana took measures to tackle the exploitation of children by
adopting a National Plan of Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor in
Ghana. The plan provides a framework for a significant reduction of the worst forms of child
labor in the nation by 2015.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) works to rescue children trafficked into
Lake Voltas fishing industry. Since 2002, more than 700 children have been liberated,
rehabilitated, and reintegrated into their home communities by the IOM. Part of the reintegration
process includes enrolling children in schools or apprenticeship programs and monitoring their
progress, as well as offering parents livelihood assistance training to help them support their
families. The IOM undertakes community outreach programs to prevent child trafficking in
vulnerable regions, and to identify and assist existing trafficking victims. It also intervenes with
traffickers, teaching them that children should not be separated from their parents or perform
adults work.
A number of non-governmental organizations perform similar work. One is Challenging Heights
devoted to liberating, educating, and rehabilitating enslaved children. Established in 2003,
Challenging Heights liberated 500 children in its first four years alone. Its founder, James Kofi
Annan, the child we met at the beginning of this piece, escaped from his master after seven
years of enslavement, taught himself to read and write, went on to college, and built a successful
career as a bank manager. In 2007, he gave it all up to devote himself full-time to his work as an
anti-slavery activist. Winner of the 2008 Frederick Douglass Award, sponsored by Free the
Slaves, and nominated for the 2013 Worlds Childrens Prize, Annan and his life are featured in
the film aptly titled, Fisher of Kids.

Domestic work is not for children

Last November, the Government of Cambodia convened a
national consultation on decent work for domestic workers.
At the end of the meeting, government, workers and
employers organizations in the country agreed on the need
for a new international labour standard extending social
protection to those who work in the homes of others. The
following article by Bill Salter, Director of the ILO
Subregional Office for East Asia, was adapted from an
earlier version published in a local newspaper.
PHNOM PENH Which situation is worse? Is it abusing children for the commercial sexual
gratification of adults, or beating and torturing children who have been forced to work as
domestic slaves?
Its a question I had to ask myself when I read the Phnom Penh Posts recent story about an 11year-old girl a domestic servant who was reportedly trafficked into the home of a Phnom
Penh couple, and then allegedly tortured with pliers, whips and electrical wires leaving as
many as 200 scars across her young body.
When it comes to child abuse, surely this is about as bad as it gets. Sadly this is not the first time
Ive seen reports like this. A 17-year-old Burmese girl was nearly killed by her employer in
Bangkok, and a Vietnamese girl was beaten regularly by her domestic employers in Hanoi.
Its been suggested that the Cambodian girls torture lasted for at least a year and possibly
much longer until neighbours intervened and contacted the police. The couple has been refused
bail so has the girls so-called guardian, who is accused of selling the girl as a domestic
servant. All three are now facing trial on several charges including human trafficking.
Unfortunately, child domestic workers are all too common in Phnom Penh. An ILO-supported
survey in 2003, conducted by the Royal Government of Cambodias National Institute of
Statistics in the Ministry of Planning, concluded there were nearly 28,000 child domestic
workers in Phnom Penh alone or ten per cent of all children aged 717.

Domestic Work Decent Work: A smart guide for

domestic workers
This ILO guidebook promotes the rights and responsibilities of domestic workers. Initially
published in Thailand in a variety of languages, it is aimed primarily at the domestic
worker and explains the benefits and risks associated with domestic work while offering
the worker advice on how to interact with her/his employer to achieve a mutually
satisfactory working environment and system of remuneration and benefits for the worker.
Domestic Work Decent Work is published in Burmese, English, Karen, Laotian, Shan and
Thai, and is being disseminated by ILO constituents within the trade union movement and
partners from civil society organizations. The guide is also being adapted and published in
Cambodia and Lao PDR for domestic workers within those countries and is available for
adaptation and dissemination in other countries as well.
The International Labour Organization is working to raise awareness about child labour and its
negative impact on society. Through the International Programme on the Elimination of Child
Labour (IPEC), the Royal Government of Cambodia and the ILO have been able to demonstrate
that, with the right interventions, child domestic workers can be removed from work and
rehabilitated into schools, and the entry of fresh children into child domestic work prevented. We
are confidently working together toward the goal of a child-labour-free country by 2016.
Considerable progress has been made and the situation is improving.
The fact that neighbours came forward to save this girl is an indication that the messages are
getting through and Cambodians will not stand for this kind of abuse directed at children.
But there is another troubling aspect, and that is the systemic abuse of domestic workers in
general occupations that by their very nature involve vulnerability, as the work is conducted
behind closed doors in the homes of others. While this girl was clearly too young to be working
anywhere, domestic workers of all ages are often marginalized by society, ignored by laws that
govern workplaces and denied the social protection and working conditions other workers have
come to rightly expect.
Domestic work is hard work. It is work often performed by women and work that frees up
members of her employers family so they can pursue and improve their own livelihoods. But far
too often this hidden workforce and its labours are under-acknowledged and under-valued. Many
domestic workers are physically and sexually abused and denied even basic human rights.
There is, however, some cause for optimism.
Cambodia has ratified the two ILO Conventions on the abolition of forced labour (the Forced
Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) and the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No.
105), and in 2008 a new anti-trafficking law entered into force instruments that afford
protection to domestic workers of all ages from the worst forms of abuse. The Royal
Government of Cambodia has also ratified the International Labour Organizations Worst Forms
of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) and has developed a 20082012 National Plan of
Action on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour a plan that the ILO is

supporting. Indeed, domestic work has been identified as one of 12 unacceptable and hazardous
forms of work from which children must be removed with urgency.
As we approach the International Labour Conference this June and the general discussion on
standards setting for domestic workers lets all remember that domestic work is real work. Its
work for adults that requires proper compensation, time off and the right to stay in contact with
others, and is to be conducted in a safe environment.
And finally, lets all re-affirm that its not work for children.

Definition of the Child Article 1 and 2 - (22)

Why and how to define a child ? 2/2
Children are not little adults with little rights.
From a biological point of view, a child is a person who is not of age to have children. The
development of a child is a process more or less continuous that passes through several stages :
0 to 28 days, newborn
28 days to 2 years, infant
2 to 6 years, early childhood
6 to 13 years, childhood, the term preadolescent is also
commonly used
Beginning at 13 years of age, puberty marks a period of
transition from childhood to adulthood. Functioning of the
hormonal system that will provoke the peak of physical
growth, maturation of the reproductive system and
physical changes all occur.
The great cultural differences that exist among countries as well as the significant physical and
emotional changes involved in passing from childhood to adulthood have brought attention to the
need to find a consensual definition, a global reference that is valid and acceptable to all and that
allows each child to be equally taken into account, regardless of where in the world she is.

The United Nations thus drew up a definition of the child so that all countries having ratified the
international Convention of the Rights of the Child share the same reference, which is laid down
in Article 1 of the Convention :
A child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law
applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier
Thanks to the Convention, it became very simple to define a child, which is a human being under
18 years of age, unless the law of his or her country deems him or her to be an adult at an earlier
age, which is rare.
The future
According to UNICEF estimates, 130 million children are born each year. In many countries,
they represent more than 50% of the population.
It is absolutely essential that the rights of children are respected so that, first of all, they
survive and are helped to mature and develop in harmony.

Domestic violence and children

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Summary
Domestic violence affects children. All children are affected emotionally by witnessing violence.
Children who witness regular acts of domestic (family) violence have greater emotional and
behavioural problems than other children. Some of the immediate effects may include
nightmares, anxiety, withdrawal and bedwetting.
Domestic violence (often called family violence) can include physical, verbal,
sexual or emotional abuse. Children who witness regular acts of violence have
greater emotional and behavioural problems than other children. Even very young
children can be profoundly frightened and affected.
Contrary to popular belief, witnessing episodes of violence between people they
love can affect young children as much as if they were the victims of the violence.
If the abused partner fears for their safety, or for the safety of their children, it is
important to take the children away from the situation as soon as possible.

Short-term effects of domestic violence

A childs response to repeated domestic violence depends on a number of factors including their
age, gender, personality and family role. Some of the immediate effects can include:
Blaming themselves for the violence
Experiencing sleeping difficulties, such as nightmares

Regression to an earlier stage of development, such as thumb sucking and bedwetting

Becoming increasingly anxious or fearful

Displaying aggressive or destructive behaviour

Starting to withdraw from people and events

Becoming a victim or perpetrator of bullying

Starting to show cruelty to animals

Experiencing stress-related illnesses, such as headache or stomach pain

Displaying speech difficulties, such as stuttering

Misusing drugs and alcohol (in young adults).

Long-term effects of domestic violence

A child growing up in an abusive household learns to solve their problems using violence, rather
than through more peaceful means. Some of the long-term effects may include copying their
parental role models and behaving in similarly destructive ways in their adult relationships.
Children may learn that it is acceptable to behave in a degrading way to other people, as they
have seen this occur in the violent episodes they witnessed. Appropriate support and counselling
will help children to grow up learning how to relate to others with trust and respect.

Drug and alcohol dependence

Some parents who are dependent on alcohol or other drugs are unable to care for their children
appropriately and may hurt or neglect their children. For some, the dependence on alcohol or
drugs is so overwhelming that it takes priority over everything else, including looking after their
childrens needs.
Children need consistency in their routine if they are to develop trust and a sense of security,
which some parents who are dependent on alcohol or drugs may be unable to give them.
Problematic parental drug and alcohol use may affect the child in the following ways:
Not getting all their nutritional needs met
Experiencing school and learning problems

Developing emotional problems related to anxiety or stress

Loss of trust in adults

Having an increased risk of mental illness or suicide in later life

Developing an increased risk of substance misuse.

Seek support to stop the violence

Domestic violence does not resolve itself. If you seek support to take action against violence, it
shows your child that abuse is not acceptable and should be stopped. There are professional
organisations that can help both partners to confront and change their destructive behaviours.
See your doctor for advice and referral, or call a parenting or domestic violence helpline. A
parent who has problems with alcohol or other drug dependence needs professional treatment,
including counselling or medical treatment. In the meantime, keep all harmful substances out of
the reach of children.

How to help your child

You can help your child emotionally recover from domestic violence in many ways:
Get support to take action against the violence.
Protect children from violence by taking them to a safe place.

Tell the child that abusive behaviour is wrong and be a role model for other ways of
managing anger and solving problems.

Reassure the child that none of the violent episodes were their fault in any way.

Tell them how much you love them and cuddle them often.

Encourage them to talk openly about their feelings.

Get extra help for your child if necessary.

Enlist a trusted adult to provide your child with emotional support.

Seek professional help, such as counselling, for all family members.

Child Abuse Simply Stated

Simply stated, Child abuse is the bad treatment of a child under the age of 18 by a parent,
caretaker, someone living in their home or someone who works with or around children. Abuse
of a child is anything that causes injury or puts the child in danger of physical injury. Child abuse
can be physical (such as burns or broken bones), sexual (such as touching of private parts or
incest), or emotional (such as belittling or calling the child names). Neglect happens when a
parent or responsible caretaker fails to provide adequate supervision, food, clothing, shelter or
other basics for a child. Child abuse is any action (or lack of) which endangers or impairs a

childs physical, mental or emotional health and development. Child abuse occurs in different
ways. All forms of abuse and neglect are harmful to the child.
Child abuse may be:

Physical - hitting, shaking, burns, human bites, strangulation.

Emotional - constant disapproval, belittling, constant teasing.

Sexual - fondling, the showing of private parts by an adult, sexual intercourse, oral and
anal sex, forcing a child to watch while others have sexual intercourse, incest,
pornography.

Neglect - absence of adequate food, shelter, emotional and physical security, and medical
care.

Physical abuse is any physical injury to a child that is not accidental. Emotional and
psychological abuse is when a child is not nurtured and is not provided with love and security.
Psychological abuse occurs when children are not provided with the necessary environment to
develop mentally and/or emotionally.
Sexual abuse is when the child is involved in any sexual activity with an adult or another child
who is either older or more powerful.
Neglect is depriving a child of their basic needs. These include food, clothing, warmth and
shelter, emotional and physical security and protection, medical and dental care, cleanliness,
education, and supervision.
If you suspect that a child you know or you are someone who is experiencing any of these types
of abuse, please check out our more detailed definitions and indicators.
You might also call your local child abuse information or reporting number found in your
telephone book or through your telephone information service.
For those living within the United States, our web site provides you with information to report
child abuse in each state.

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence can take different forms, but its goal is always the same: Batterers want to
control their domestic partners through fear. They do this by regularly abusing them physically,
sexually, psychologically and economically.
Here are some of the forms domestic violence can take:
PHYSICAL ABUSE
Hitting Slapping Kicking Choking Pushing Punching Beating.
VERBAL ABUSE
Constant criticism Making humiliating remarks Not responding to what the victim is saying
Mocking Name-calling Yelling Swearing Interrupting Changing the subject.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Forcing sex on an unwilling partner Demanding sexual acts that the victim does not want to
perform Degrading treatment.
ISOLATION
Making it hard for the victim to see friends and relatives Monitoring phone calls Reading mail
Controlling where the victim goes Taking the victims car keys.
COERCION
Making the victim feel guilty Pushing the victim into decisions Sulking Manipulating
children and other family members Always insisting on being right Making up impossible
rules and punishing the victim for breaking them.
HARASSMENT
Following or stalking Embarrassing the victim in public Constantly checking up on the victim
Refusing to leave when asked.
ECONOMIC CONTROL
Not paying bills Refusing to give the victim money Not letting the victim work Interfering
with the victims job Refusing to work and support the family.
ABUSING TRUST
Lying Breaking promises Withholding important information Being unfaithful Being
overly jealous Not sharing domestic responsibilities.

THREATS AND INTIMIDATION

Threatening to harm the victim, the children, family members and pets Using physical size to
intimidate Shouting Keeping weapons and threatening to use them.
EMOTIONAL WITHHOLDING
Not expressing feelings Not giving compliments Not paying attention Not respecting the
victims feelings, rights and opinions Not taking the victims concerns seriously.
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
Destroying furniture Punching walls Throwing things Breaking dishes.
SELF DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
Abusing drugs or alcohol Threatening self-harm or suicide Driving recklessly Deliberately
doing things that will cause trouble (like telling off the boss).