aforesaid Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).16 Bangladesh is yet
to ratify one of the latest ILO Conventions which is meant to protect domestic workers
including child domestic workers. This is Convention No. 189 which is the Domestic
Workers Convention, 2011 that came into force on 5th September 2013.17
The Domestic Workers Convention, 201118 establishes certain principles that lie
in conjunction with how child domestic workers’ situation may be made better. The
Domestic Workers Convention underscores that children in developing countries continue
to be among the most marginalized.19 Article 3 mentions that states would have to take
steps to ensure the successful promotion and protection of human rights of all domestic
workers. There is a requirement of setting a minimum age for domestic workers which
must be consistent with the provisions of the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138),
and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182), and cannot be lower
than those established by national laws for workers usually.20 Signatories to the
Convention are obliged to make certain that domestic workers who are under 18 years of
age and above the minimum employment age must not be denied compulsory education,
further education or vocational training.21
State parties to the Convention are bound to prevent abuse, harassment and
violence against domestic workers. On the other hand, decent working circumstances and
fair terms of employment need to be ensured for the domestic workers and if they reside
16
International
Labour
Organization,
Ratifications
for
Bangladesh
<http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:11200:0::NO:11200:P11200_COUNTRY_ID:103500>
at
nd
22 May 2014.
17
International Labour Organization, Information System on International Labour Standards: Countries
that Have Not Ratified This Convention, C189 - Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189)
<http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:11310:0::NO:11310:P11310_INSTRUMENT_I
D:2551460:NO> at 22nd May 2014.
18
Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers (Convention No. 189).
19
Ibid. See Preamble.
20
Ibid, Article 4(1).
21
Ibid, Article 4(2).
7