This coming June’s International Labour Conference (ILC) will be the deciding year for the possibility for a new international standard for Domestic Workers. Only ILO tripartite members, namely trade unions, governments and employers associations can have a place at the ILC to vote for one of these possibilities:
1. a Convention, or
2. a Recommendation, or
3. a Convention and a Recommendation, or
4. a Convention with binding and non-binding parts

Although NGOs are not ILO members, CARAM Asia found ways to still intervene in the process. CARAM Asia members are the sole non-trade union groups present at the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Asia Pacific’s Regional Conference on Domestic Workers. The regional conference held from 14 to 15 October, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur developed Conclusions and Recommendations on Domestic Workers that is adopted by the ITUC General Council meeting in November, 2009.
CARAM Asia’s reputation as a long term advocate for domestic workers had gained rare opportunity for the network to be invited into the delegation engaging in the debates at the ILC.