International Domestic Workers’ Day: ‘We want security for domestic workers’

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Every year, the İmece Domestic Workers Union stages a demonstration on the occasion of June 16 International Domestic Workers' Day.

However, this year, no demonstration could be held due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Instead, a banner has been hung at the Metrobus station in Söğütlüçeşme, Kadıköy in the Anatolian side of İstanbul. "We want security for domestic workers," the banner reads.

The pictures of the banner have also been shared on the social media account of the union under the hashtag "Domestic workers are workers."

It has been marked since 2011

With the adoption of the Domestic Workers Convention (ILO C189) at the General Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on June 16, 2011, the minimum rights of domestic workers have been recognized. Since then, June 16 has been marked as the "International Domestic Workers' Day" and the International Domestic Workers Network (IDWN) has been calling on the states to sign the ILO C189.

The first countries who signed the convention were Uruguay and Philippines. The signature of two countries was enough to enact the convention. That being the case, the Domestic Workers Convention has entered into force. However, as Turkey has not yet signed the convention, no legal regulation has been introduced in the country related to this.

Problems of migrant domestic workers not visible

Speaking to bianet about the problems of domestic workers in Turkey, especially amid COVID-19 pandemic, Gülhan Benli from the Domestic Workers Solidarity Union (Evid-Sen) and Münire İnal from the İmece Domestic Workers Union underlined that domestic workers, now confined in their homes, were facing much more serious problems.

Unions indicate that the number of domestic worker women across the world is over 100 millions. These women are employed in precarious working conditions and the problems of migrant domestic workers, who actually constitute the majority, are the most invisible ones.

Report by the Evid-Sen

The Evid-Sen Union also prepared a report documenting the problems and hardships experienced by domestic workers during the outbreak.

Some personal experiences from the report were as follows:

"Everyone is afraid, no one is admitting us into their homes. I have suffered a lot in this process. I have debts, I cannot pay them. My son is doing his military service, my other kid had an accident, I could not pay my rent... I am indebted to the banks as well. No one works after this disease. There is, unfortunately, no money. Debt is everywhere.

"I have been thinking and thinking all day long, I live with two ill people. I cannot even afford nourishment. There is no money, how am I supposed to buy and eat something? It is my third rent now that I cannot pay.

"I have been experiencing serious problems in this period, I run out of money. Because I used to work on a daily basis. I have to stop working due to this disease. My economic condition is really bad now. I used to make a living solely based on domestic work. I had a food card before, a card given by the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality with 125 TRY. I could do shopping and sustain my life thanks to this card for a month.

"I am not working, we cannot pay the rent or bills, how will it end for us? We are going through dark days. Only prayers can apparently save us now.

"I asked for a leave from where I work, but they did not give me. 'Will you infect us with corona,' they asked me. They inflicted violence on me, hitting my hands and shoulders. I cannot go out after all that happened. I am in my room all day, I spend my leave day in my room. I work on weekdays. I have to work harder now because everyone is at home. I cannot breathe, I cannot be enough for everyone. If covid does not kill me in this process, I am likely to be headed for Bakırköy [Mental Hospital]." (EMK/SD)