ILO report highlights the value of domestic workers to families and society
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Domestic worker in Egypt
More than 50 million people worldwide, mostly women, are employed as domestic workers, according to the latest figures from the International Labour Organization (ILO). But ILO says despite their numbers, domestic workers are among the least protected of employees. Long hours, poor working conditions and insufficient legal protection are some of the realities they face. For the first time, the agency has released a report which highlights the size and value of what it calls "one of the oldest occupations." Dianne Penn reports.
ILO spotlights gender imbalance in science and technology
Careers in science and technology are increasing, but the International Labour Organization (ILO) says women and girls are in danger of being shut out of these opportunities. The ILO finds women tend to be overrepresented in areas such as the humanities and the social sciences, and the agency has launched a new manual to address progress in achieving gender equality. Beng Poblete-Enriquez spoke to Jane Hodges, Director of the Bureau for Gender Equality at the ILO in Geneva, Switzerland. She says pervasive attitudes about gender roles contribute to the imbalance in fields such as engineering, computer science and the physical sciences.
South Africa: From victim to victor
Oyama Mbopa
In South Africa, one group of women—lesbians—are especially at risk. They're the target of a particularly heinous crime, "curative" or "corrective" rape, which perpetrators believe will change their sexual orientation. Now, survivors like Oyama Mbopa are finding the courage to confront sexual violence and discrimination. We hear more in this feature produced by UN Television's Gill Fickling and narrated by Pat Duffy.
Presenter: Beng Poblete-Enriquez
Duration: 10'00"
