Anti-Slavery International

Will you help change the lives of child domestic workers?

Thousands of children around the world are forced to spend their time working. They look after other children and animals, wash clothes, fetch water and fuel, cook, shop for food and run errands for their employers.

"I wake up at six in the morning. I prepare breakfast for the couple and their children, and then I wash the dishes. I sweep, I mop, wash clothes, feed the dogs and I finish cleaning the rest of the house. When the children come back from school I get them lunch or something to eat" Adriana, child domestic worker in Lima, Peru, aged 10.

Denied a childhood, broken promises to provide education are frequently accompanied by abuse and physical violence. The vast majority of these young workers are girls and are subjected to sexual pressures from the men in the household. If a girl domestic becomes pregnant she will be forced onto the street where her situation may become worse. More girls under 16 work in domestic service than in any other form of child labour- yet they remain invisible and marginalised both economically and socially due to myths that it is important training for their adult life.

Adriana is not alone; The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that 10 million children aged between five and seventeen work as child domestic slaves worldwide.

Anti-Slavery International is working with local grass roots organisations around the world to reach child domestic workers. In the Philippines, a joint campaign with Visayan Forum, has led to the drafting of a new bill to protect child domestic workers, we have published a good practice guide to help ensure child domestic workers get the assistance they need, and in Peru we have produced training materials including a colouring book which encourages child domestic workers to understand their rights.

But this is only a start more needs to be done and to do this we need your help.

Children like Adriana desperately need your support.

£35 could pay for:
Emergency funds to support a child fleeing abuses as a domestic worker to make a new start
£55 could pay for:
a researcher to interview an isolated child domestic worker for 2 hours and put them in touch with services to help them (it takes 2 hours or more to collect information that enables us to fully understand and report on the issues involved)
£105 could pay for:
Partners and ourselves to hold a workshop to educate young families and village leaders on the effects of child domestic work.

Donate today and help change the lives of child domestic workers (using our secure server).