Kuwait, as well as the other Gulf Cooperation Countries (gcc), is challenged by the quick

Domestic workers from the
Philippines 
There are more than 250,000 migrant workers 
in Kuwait from the Philippines, approximately 
60% of them working in domestic labor. There 
have been reports on individual cases of mis-
treatment and harassment of domestic workers. 
The Kuwaiti authorities have responded quickly 
apprehending the people responsible for 
mistreatments. The Kuwaiti government passed 
legislation in May 2018 requiring employers to 
allow Filipino migrant workers the right to pos-
sess their passport, the right to a 12-hr work day 
with one-hour break and one day off per week, an 
end-of-the year bonus, and access to a working 
cell phone. (The National. Retrieved 2018-08-08) 
What can ILO do in the years to come? 
The change in the status of workers’ health and safe-
ty is justified not only from the human right’s point 
of view, but also from the productivity point of view.

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People in the 21st century demand appropriate 
work conditions, which do not endanger health. 
Appropriate work conditions lead to work which 
is less risky and more productive.
Productive employment and adequate working con-
ditions are key elements to achieving fair globaliza-
tion and poverty reduction. 
While Kuwait is giving work to millions of peo-
ple from poor countries, they are expected to 
follow the ILO’s work principles in their employ-
ment. The ILO has developed an agenda for the 
community of work looking at rights at work, so-
cial protection and social dialogue, with gender 
equality as a crosscutting objective. 
Disclosure statement 
The author is not aware of any affiliations, funding, 
memberships, or financial holdings that might 
be perceived as affecting the objectivity of this 
paper. The author alone is responsible for the
interpretations and opinions presented.