The International Labour Organization

a) The International Labour Organization (ILO)
On June 21st, 1996, the International Labour organization (ILO) adopted a convention, supplemented by a Recommendation on HOME WORK. This was a great victory for homeworkers because it marked international recognition that they are an important part of the workforce and, like any other workers, are entitled to rights which enable them to make a decent living from their employment.The ILO has it's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and is the part of the United Nations that deals with employment issues. Every year, it holds a conference attended by delegations from employers' organizations, trade unions and govt. representatives from over 170 countries of the world.
When the ILO adopts a convention, this becomes an internationally recognized standard, laying down minimum terms and conditions which governments who ratify it are bound to follow. "Ratifying" a Convention is like signing an international treaty. The Recommendation, as the name implies, gives detailed guidelines for the implementation of the shorter convention.
The CONVENTION ON HOMEWORK lays down the principle of equal treatment for homeworkers. At its heart is the clause that governments should adopt a National Policy on Homework ensuring they have appropriate laws and regulations, policies and programs to bring about this equal treatment.
This means that homeworkers should be entitled to a decent wage; social security protection for when they are sick, old or cannot work; maternity benefits; old age pensions and that their health and safety should not be endangered by their work. Homeworkers are entitled to the right to organize. Governments should ensure that homeworkers are counted in official surveys.
It will not be easy to ensure that millions of women homeworkers around the world receive these rights in practice. The adoption of the convention is only a first, important step. Now we have to campaign for ratification of the Convention by our government, or at least adoption of a National Policy, minimum wages and social security protection. We have to see that homeworkers are represented in different bodies in each country and that programs are introduced to improve their living and working conditions.
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b) Home Net South Asia
Homebased work is not a new phenomenon in South Asia. Traditional homebased work has been carried out in these countries since generations. This work which was mostly carried out by women included embroidery work, shawl making, crafts making etc. Women in different parts of the region are still doing this, both in rural and urban areas. The homebased industry, even though invisible in the official statistics, provides livelihood to a large number of people.
There are a number of institutions that have been working to organize these homebased workers so that they can themselves improve their working conditions as well as access their rights as workers. These institutions work under some critical constraints that are specific to this sector. These are >> Lack of established policy - Till today, there is no clear policy directive which includes homebased workers in any of the South Asian countries. While India has been able to draft a policy with regard to Homebased workers, this is far from being implemented. The other South Asian countries are yet to take a stand. >> No fixed working hours since work at home cannot be regulated. >> Very low piece-rate wages compared to the same work carried out in the formal workplace.>> Exploitation by contractors & middlemen. >> Unhealthy working conditions>> No social security or other benefits>> Legally invisible workforce, hence no recognition of their work or their economic worth.
Following the adoption of the ILO Convention, a workshop was organized in Ahmedabad, India by SEWA, in December 1997, the main theme of which was grassroots organizing of homebased workers. Participants from South Asian countries viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal attended the workshop. The primary basis for discussions was the fact that homebased workers of the South Asian region face very similar problems and the pattern of the homebased work is also similar. Hence the need for an integrated approach to solve their problems. A strong need to have a regional network that could strengthen their movement was felt. Since the conditions are similar within the countries of the South Asian region, a common strategy could be developed in relation to the issues such as minimum wages, social security, health protection, marketing and statistical surveys of homebased workers.
For developing and strengthening the South Asia network, it was necessary to have a common strategy at the regional level for various homeworker issues with each member country working out individual mechanisms for practical organizing at the grassroots. The South Asian network would meet on an annual basis to ensure regular exchange of information and 6 member countries (viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan) would be part of this network.
Additional advantages of having a regional network are as follows;1) The countries of this region have extremely porous borders and illegal immigration of workers is rampant. And in very many cases, a number of unorganized homebased workers are also non-nationals, particularly in areas close to the border towns. Multi-country intervention therefore again becomes more effective since the issue is also one that has cross-country implications.2) Very soon in the future, trade and labor practices could well be governed by SAARC agreements. Given the fact that certain agreements do already exist at the SAARC level, this can be advantageous to those who would like to use these agreements to leverage policy implementation.3) Similarly, multinational agreements such as GATT & WTO and multinational agencies such as ILO, World Bank, UNDP etc. have global and regional policies that influence national policies in South Asia. A regional forum can work towards advocacy, networking and lobbying and ensuring accountability for all the above. 4) The policy environment within the region is fairly similar, given the history of the sub-continent. Hence sharing and cross-fertilization of ideas and experiences across these countries will help to strengthen the individual organizations in the long run.
5) With growing liberalization of economic policies of governments of the region, a large number of multinational corporations are entering the market in this region, both for purposes of selling their goods and more critically, for employing cheap labor. In order to influence the policies of these concerns, advocacy and other efforts have to be addressed at different levels and in all countries of the region.
Proposed activities of the member networks will include advocacy and program thrusts in the following areas
>> Adoption of NATIONAL POLICY for homebased workers>> SOCIAL SECURITY for homebased workers>> IDENTIFICATION of homebased workers through national statistical systems>> ORGANIZING homebased workers & strengthening the ongoing initiatives in this regard>> FACILITATING DIRECT ENTRY into local and global markets
( SOURCE - "Towards Building HomeNet South Asia", a report )