Child Domestic Workers in the Philippines

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Child Domestic Workers in the Philippines

Introduction

“I wake up at 3am to water the plants, clean the house, go to market, cook, wash the plates, wash the clothes, iron the clothes. I return to the market three times a day. From 5pm to 9pm, they allow me to go to school. When I return, I have to wash the dishes, then I massage both my male and female employer until 1am. I only have two hours to sleep.” This is how a girl from Buikidnon, Philippines described her experience with child labour to Anti-Slavery International researchers. She is a former child domestic worker who entered domestic work at nine years old, enduring her employer’s abuse.

Children are considered the future of our countries, with their own rights, especially to education. However, as seen by this story, this is simply not the case everywhere. While we are living in the 21st century many people simply assume that slavery is a thing of the past, especially child labour, but as you will see, this is far from the truth.

According to Anti-Slavery International, a child domestic worker is defined as any person under the age of eighteen who works in households other than their own, doing domestic chores, caring for children, tending the garden, running errands and helping their employers run their small businesses, amongst other tasks.

It is near impossible for these children to claim their own rights, instead they are exploited and their freedom taken from them.

The Victims

While there are many reasons as to why children enter the world of domestic work, the main reason always seems to come back to the fact that they need to support and sustain themselves and their families financially and no education or qualifications are required. Children will also...

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...13/953399/10.5-m-kids-slave-conditions-domestic-servants [Accessed: 5 Dec 2013].
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (2013). Child Workers. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/inclusive-education/child-workers/ [Accessed: 6 Dec 2013].
United States Department of Labour (n.d.). Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Philippines. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/philippines.htm [Accessed: 7 Dec 2013].
Unknown. (2013). Untitled. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_184096/lang--en/index.htm [Accessed: 12 Dec 2013].
Visayan Forum Foundation Inc. (n.d.). About us. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.visayanforum.org/portal/index.php?option=cms&id=21#sthash.hvH1t6Cj [Accessed: 6 Dec 2013].

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