UN Women Confab Highlights PH Inroads in Domestic Workers’ Rights Protection

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UN Headquarter in New York

A March 8, 2011 press release prepared by the Department of Foreign Affairs

The Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York reported that Philippine Commission on Women Executive Director Emmeline Verzosa was one of four speakers in the recent roundtable discussion on “Good Practices on Protections for Domestic Workers" held jointly by the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN), the International Labor Organization and the Government of the Philippines on March 3.

In her speech at the event, Executive Director Verzosa pointed out the major inroads achieved by the Philippines in protecting the rights of domestic workers including updates on the Batas Kasambahay Act (2004) or the Magna Carta for Domestic Workers.

The roundtable was one of several events held at the sidelines of the 55th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women that concluded on March 4th.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by Dr. Jean D’Cunha, Global Migration Adviser of UN WOMEN, who stressed in her introduction of the discussion topics that the Philippines’ “impressive repertoire of good practices” relating to the protection of domestic workers from which other countries and governments can learn.