Promoting Integration for Migrant Domestic Workers in Europe

A project financed under the "European Fund For The Integration Of Third Country Nationals"

PROJECT SUMMARY


Project overall objectives

The project aims at expanding the knowledge about the possible integration outcomes of admission and employment policies for MDW -who are usually low skilled- and enhance stakeholders' capacities to identify and remove barriers for their socioeconomic integration. The project fits and builds on the ILO activities in support of the ratification and implementation of the ILO Domestic Worker's Convention (No. 189) and Recommendation (No. 201) adopted by the International Labour Conference in June 2011. The project also responds to the following specific objectives of the EC Integration Fund:
  • Improve knowledge of the impact of implementation of admission legislation on integration processes;
  • Improve knowledge of the links of different patterns of migration on integration of third country nationals;
  • Promote admission policies that favour integration of third-country nationals.
  • Address specific needs of young migrants and women
  • Improve the local services to adjust to different target groups, such as women, children and youngsters

Project components and main activities

The project is implementing  activities along the following 3 specific areas of work:

1. Research and knowledge development (Result 1):

1.1 With the view to address the knowledge gap about the current situation of migrant domestic workers in Europe and identify practical ways to support their integration, the project will produce 4 country case studies on the subject covering Italy, Spain, France and Belgium. Methodologically, each study consists of: in-depth interviews with migrant domestic workers; analysis of available national administrative data and LFS originated data; desk review on law and practices; and mapping and assessment of available services.

1.2 One synthesis report with concluding recommendation for policy making, in particular with a view to identify admission practices with potential positive integration implications for domestic workers.

2. Knowledge dissemination, awareness and advocacy (Result 2)

Building on the research component and on project partners’ capacity and experience to reach out to and successfully mobilize key actors for socio-economic integration, the project is producing a practical information tools on the subject, has launched two video clips for advocacy purposes  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6tlaQUGMUO  and promotes face to face exchange of information and knowledge among relevant stakeholders, including an awareness raising event in Brussels.

3. Capacity building and training for targeted stakeholders. (Result 3)

The project is capitalizing on the research findings, partners experience and expertise, as well as the specific "momentum" coinciding with the adoption and ratification campaign for the ILO Domestic Worker's Convention, to institutionalize this wealth of information into a specific training curriculum, which will complement the training courses on migration management, non discrimination, and labour inspection offered by ITC. A specific training event will be offered to relevant stakeholders in Europe, building on the recently developed ITC e-learning methodology that complements traditional face-to-face training, with online support before and after the Turin course.

Expected results

The proposed action aims at achieving the following results:
  1. Expand -through desk and field research and analysis- the existing knowledge base on the characteristics, dimension and patterns of migration for the purpose of domestic work in the EU and possible impact on integration outcomes.
  2. Enhance the awareness of European social partners, labour market and other relevant actors, including local authorities, about the main challenges to socioeconomic integration of migrant domestic workers, as well as about existing instruments to guarantee the protection of their rights.
  3. Provide, through targeted training, European social partners, labour market actors and local authorities with enhanced capacities to plan and implement effective policies and programmes to remove the barriers and pro-actively promote socioeconomic integration of migrant domestic workers

Project partners

The project is implemented by ILO Migrant and ITC-ILO in collaboration with the following partners:

Project duration

Total project duration is 18 moths (December 2011 - May 2013).