Fighting forced labour helps women beat poverty

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,
Director-General of the International Labour Organization

Note: This entry was originally posted on The CNN Freedom Project blog 

Across the planet, about one in every seven of us lives in extreme poverty, having to survive on less than $1.25 a day. Every day, they and the millions more living just above the poverty line struggle to have enough to eat, and dream of a better life and of earning enough to provide for their families.

Geeta Devi was one of these people. Continue reading

Turning childhood dreams into a decent future

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Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific

In a hot and bustling Jakarta suburb, a group of young girls – and one boy – charm me with their songs, dances, messages, and laughter. Like other healthy teenagers around the world, they sing and dance to the music of Justin Bieber and Bollywood, text their friends and family, chatter about trends, their dreams and aspirations.

They are the lucky ones. They have a childhood – finally. Continue reading

Abused domestic workers – are we to blame?

Amelita King-Dejardin

Amelita King-Dejardin

By Amelita King-Dejardin, ILO Domestic Work Specialist

I’ve done hundreds of interviews with domestic workers and their employers, and alarm bells always ring whenever I hear the statement: “I treat her like a member of the family.” In my experience, this declaration, with its vague cultural notions, often means that the domestic worker relies on the benevolence of the employer and not on her rights as a worker. Continue reading