International Seminar
Regulating Decent Work for Domestic Workers:
International and Comparative Dialogue
Celebrating the ILO at 90 &
Preparing for standard-setting into the Future
Inter-university Research Centre on Globalization and Work
Labour Law and Development Research Laboratory
Sponsored by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)
Faculty of Law, McGill University,
Room 316 New Chancellor Day Hall
March 29th 2010
More than forty years after having recognized the urgency of a study on the working conditions of
domestic workers, the International Labour Organization (ILO) is on track to adopt an international
labour standard on decent work for domestic workers before the end of 2011. The ILO’s 2009
report, which seeks to provide an account of the situation and working conditions of domestic
workers across the world, can be consulted online at the following address:
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/--relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_104700.pdf
This international seminar aims to bring together social partners, including domestic workers’
associations, and international and interdisciplinary researchers specialized in the field in order to
encourage an intensive consultation between the various participants concerned by the issue of
decent work for domestic workers. This meeting will also present an opportunity for exchange
between researchers and social partners to identify the policy issues involved and to compare
different regulatory approaches adopted in various countries. The seminar also seeks to provide an
opportunity for social partners to share their reflections on the presentations and their expertise in
the area before the two upcoming sessions of the International Labour Conference in Geneva in
June 2010 and 2011. Finally, this activity offers a chance for Canada to celebrate the 90 years since
the ILO was established in 1919. To that end, a special exhibit commemorating the time during
which Montreal was host to the ILO during the Second World War will be presented in the Atrium
of McGill University’s Faculty of Law.
Words of Welcome
8h45 – 9h00
Gregor Murray, CRIMT Director, University of Montreal
Opening Plenary: “Citizenship at Work for Domestic Workers”
9h00-10h45
Chair/Participant : Adelle Blackett, Faculty of Law, McGill University
Participants :
1. Martha Chen, Recognizing and Protecting Domestic Workers; Conceptual, Empirical, and Regulatory
Challenges, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University and Women in Informal
Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO Network)
2. Manuela Tomei, Decent work for domestic workers: An achievable goal or wishful thinking?,
International Labour Office
3. Nisha Varia, “Sweeping Changes?” A Review of Recent Reforms on Protections for Migrant Domestic
Workers in Asia and the Middle East, Human Rights Watch
4. Kerry Rittich, Regulating the Work of Care: Context, Conjunctures and Dilemmas, Faculty of Law,
University of Toronto
Health Break: 10h45-11h00
Plenary No. 2: “Migration, Agencies and Minimum Standards for Domestic Work”
11h00-12h45
Chair/Commentator : Louise Langevin, Faculty of Law, Laval University
Participants :
1. Dzodzi Tsikata, Employment Agencies and the Regulation of Domestic Workers in Ghana : Fixing
Informality ?, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) and Centre for
Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA), University of Ghana
2. Sarah van Walsum, The (Non)Regulation of Domestic Work in the Netherlands, Faculty of Law,
VU University Amsterdam
3. Catharina Calleman, Regulation of Domestic Work in the Eyes of Human Rights Watch – the Case
of Sweden, Department of Law, Umeå University
4. Bharti Birla, Domestic Work In India: Moving Towards A Comprehensive Law, ILO Subregional
Office for South Asia
Lunch: Atrium of the Faculty of Law, 12h45-14h30
Special Exhibit: The ILO’s Wartime Home at McGill
With Reflections from
Dean of the Faculty of Law, Daniel Jutras & Head Law Librarian Daniel Boyer
Plenary No. 3 : “ Working Conditions, Compliance and Enforcement in Comparative Perspective”
14h30-16h15
Chair/Commentator : Stéphanie Bernstein, Department of Law, Université du Québec à Montréal
Participants :
1. Peggie Smith, Regulating the Home as Workplace to Protect the Health and Safety of Paid Domestic
Workers, College of Law, University of Iowa
2. Sarah Christie, Formal and substantive rights of domestic workers in South Africa: effective enforcement
or quiet ADR? Institute of Development and Labour Law, University of Cape Town
3. Ana Virgínia Moreira Gomes, Regulatory Challenges in Domestic Work: The Case of Brazil,
Faculty of Law, Santos Catholic University
4. Neetha Narayana Pillai, Domestic Workers in India: Organisational and Legislative Challenges,
Centre for Women’s Development Studies, New Delhi
Health Break : 16h15-16h30
Round Table : ILO Standard-setting on Decent Work for Domestic Workers:
Prospects, Challenges and the Way Forward
16h30-18h00
Chair : Isabelle Duplessis, Faculty of Law, University of Montreal
Participants :
1. Rebecca Gowan, Senior Policy Analyst, International Labour Affairs, Human Resources
and Skills Development Canada, Canadian Delegate (Governmental Representative) to the
ILO
2. Marc-André Dowd, Quebec Human Rights Commission (TBC)
3. Denise Gagnon, Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ), Canadian Delegate (Workers’
Representative) to the ILO
4. Cecilia Diocson, National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada
5. Fay Faraday, Cavalluzzo, Hayes, Shilton, McIntyre & Cornish
6. Alexandra Pierre, Quebec Women’s Federation (FFQ)
Scientific and Organizing Committee:
Adelle Blackett, CRIMT research coordinator & LLDRL director, McGill University
Annick Charest, CRIMT administrative coordinator, University of Montreal
Martin Gallié, CRIMT/LLDRL postdoctoral fellow, McGill University
Adrienne Gibson, LLDRL scientific coordinator, McGill University
Sarah Goldbaum, CRIMT/LLDRL student research assistant, McGill University
Kathleen Hadekel, LLDRL research assistant, McGill University
Francine Jacques, CRIMT project manager, Université Laval
Maria Marcheschi, special events administrator, McGill University
Mae Nam, CRIMT/LLDRL student research assistant, McGill University
Eileen Parle, administrative assistant, McGill University
Mélyssa Rinaldo, LLDRL research assistant, McGill University
Nicolas Roby, CRIMT scientific coordinator, University of Montreal