cover image: Au Pair: Challenges to Safe Migration and Decent Work 1

20.500.12592/1p9qtc

Au Pair: Challenges to Safe Migration and Decent Work 1

In the beginning of the political process leading up to the Convention, NGOs sought to advocate for the inclusion of au pairs during the ILO campaign Decent Work for Domestic Workers, but in the end, neither the ILO Convention nor the international campaigns included au pair work as part of their programme. [...] The agreements between the IND and the agencies include a pledge by the agencies to closely monitor the welfare of au pairs and report to the IND. [...] According to the CFO staff, potential discrepancies between au pair applicants’ ideas of and motivations for engaging in an au pair stay and the purpose (as stated in the guidelines) are addressed by “changing the mindset” of the au pair applicant: making her aware of the cultural purpose of the programme. [...] A safe migration route ensures protection of the rights of the migrant during each phase: when still in the country of origin, along the way to the destination route, during the stay in the host country and after the end of the contract. [...] The agent is interested in selling the job to the au pair and in selling the au pair to the host family, in some cases even promising longer working hours to the host family (than what is stated in the contract) or outbidding other candidates to secure the job for her.
Pages
48
Published in
Thailand