Around the world 50 to 100 million people -- the vast majority of them women and girls -- work as domestic workers to provide for themselves and their families. Many toil between 14 and 18 hours a day, cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children of their employers, with rarely any time for rest. They are typically grossly underpaid, or sometimes not paid at all. Many live in their employers homes and are subjected to physical or sexual abuse.

In June 2011, the International Labor Organization adopted a historic new treaty, the Domestic Workers Convention, under which domestic workers are entitled to the same basic rights as other workers, and to protection from violence and abuse. Join the “12 by 2012” campaign to convince at least 12 governments to sign on to this groundbreaking treaty this year.