The first year of ILO home care workers' agreement ratification campaign: 2012 marked as the first year of home care workers' protection

「Korean Care Workers NGO Network waged home care workers' agreement ratification campaign -2010 marked as the first year for home care workers' protection, on December 19, 2011 at 11:30 am in front of Financial Building at the Chonggye Plaza. In celebration of international home care workers' day on December 18, this campaign planned to push for the ratification of ILO home care workers' agreement.

 

Presently, ILO home care workers' agreement was ready for the ratification in two countries, IDWN, ITUC, and IUF carried on an international campaign for ratification with groups of the persons concerned, NGOs, and trade unions. For this, Korea held the campaign today.

In front of about 30 people gathered together, Seol Insook, vice president of FKTU, started the campaign for letting know people the purposes and progress reports of the campaign. Then, home care workers such as care assistants, house managers, and home-base childcare givers made a spot addresses. Yoon Youngsook, a house manager, childcare branch of National Cooperative of House Managers (NCHM) said, "Few days ago, a coworkers had to go to hospital because she broke her leg. Another coworkers received physical therapy because her back was hurt while she was moving around hugging a child. Evne though we had such difficulties, we have to go to hospital at their own costs and solve these problems by ourselves, I suffer from low self-esteem. I desperately hope that care workers can be legally protected as soon as possible.”

 

After that, participants in the campaign marched along the Chonggye stream. Although it is very cold, holding a pan in a hand and national flags in the other hand. Passerby also cheered us up.

 

After the street rally, Korean Care Workers NGO Network visited the Minister of Gender Equality and Family and handed in our opinion about ILO home care workers' agreement.

 

In order that home care workers do not work in isolated and unsecure employment environment and can protect their rights, we hope that many countries including Korea should ratify ILO home care workers' agreement.