PRIME Minister Andrew Holness announced yesterday that the Government, following a commitment to empower women economically, has signed the instrument of ratification of ILO Convention C 189 (also known as the Domestic Workers Convention).

Holness, who was participating in the deliberations on a report by the United Nations High Level Panel on Economic Empowerment of Women at UN Headquarters in New York, said: “We are committed to the protection of rights of the most vulnerable among us and to ensure the welfare of domestic workers within the framework of our determination to promote a decent work for all.”

A decent work for all and the empowerment of women are part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Recognising the presence of Shirley Pryce, who is a staunch advocate for women’s empowerment and the rights of domestic workers in Jamaica, Prime Minister Holness stated that, “I’m pleased to announce that Jamaica has signed by virtue of her (Ms Pryce) instrumentality; I have signed and we are ratifying the ILO Domestic Workers Convention C189.” He added that the instrument is now in the process of being deposited at the International Labour Office through Jamaica’s Embassy in Geneva.

Holness said he looked forward to the early universalisation of the Convention and encouraged states that have not yet done so to ratify the instrument as soon as possible.

The ILO Convention C 189 seeks to improve the working and living conditions of tens of millions of domestic workers worldwide.