I'm still on a bit of a (exhausted) high from the success of our launch event last night! The star of the show was Anali...earlier in the day she met up with Baronness Miller of Chilthorne Domer and Russell Brown MP both of whom are Chairs of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Street Children. I think they were both much warmer and more friendly than Anali was expecting! They quizzed her on what it is like to be a child domestic worker in Peru and were impressed enough with her answers to suggest she would make a good politician! Going inside parliament was very exciting for all of us...so a big thanks to the Consortium for Street Children for organising this meeting for Anali!! And I'm proud of myself for tweeting while I was in the House of Commons - that's a first.
So, Anali is here until Sunday, speaking about her experience as a child domestic worker in Lima to help us launch our campaign for governments to ratify the ILO Domestic Workers Convention. The campaign is called 'SEND your gLOVE' - it uses the humble rubber glove as a symbol for protection. Rubber gloves protect our hands from the hazards of domestic chores and we see the ILO Convention in the same way - as a 'protective glove' for children from exploitation in domestic work.
Yesterday was the big launch day. We had an exhibition of paintings from child domestic workers, we showed our 10 minute film (shot with children in Togo, Peru and India). Jonathan and I both spoke about child domestic work, Children Unite and our 'SEND your gLOVE' campaign...and Anali spoke about her experience as a child domestic worker in Peru. It was a moving speech, Anali is an eloquent, passionate campaigner - and yes, yes, I had a tear in my eye as she spoke.
After the speeches there was a great buzz in the room as everyone wrote their messages of support on rubber gloves or on postcards. The gloves were hung up on a washing line we'd put up and people were chatting to Anali, giving their postcards to her (she will take them back with her to Peru and will use them in a campaign event targeting the Peruvian Government to ratify the ILO Convention). It was a wonderful evening - particularly for those of us that have been planning it for so long; a team effort from the trustees, staff and volunteers of Children Unite.
And it was the first step for us in building a community of people who are united in their concern for child domestic workers and who are prepared to take action to protect them from exploitation and abuse.
So, Anali is here until Sunday, speaking about her experience as a child domestic worker in Lima to help us launch our campaign for governments to ratify the ILO Domestic Workers Convention. The campaign is called 'SEND your gLOVE' - it uses the humble rubber glove as a symbol for protection. Rubber gloves protect our hands from the hazards of domestic chores and we see the ILO Convention in the same way - as a 'protective glove' for children from exploitation in domestic work.
Yesterday was the big launch day. We had an exhibition of paintings from child domestic workers, we showed our 10 minute film (shot with children in Togo, Peru and India). Jonathan and I both spoke about child domestic work, Children Unite and our 'SEND your gLOVE' campaign...and Anali spoke about her experience as a child domestic worker in Peru. It was a moving speech, Anali is an eloquent, passionate campaigner - and yes, yes, I had a tear in my eye as she spoke.
After the speeches there was a great buzz in the room as everyone wrote their messages of support on rubber gloves or on postcards. The gloves were hung up on a washing line we'd put up and people were chatting to Anali, giving their postcards to her (she will take them back with her to Peru and will use them in a campaign event targeting the Peruvian Government to ratify the ILO Convention). It was a wonderful evening - particularly for those of us that have been planning it for so long; a team effort from the trustees, staff and volunteers of Children Unite.
And it was the first step for us in building a community of people who are united in their concern for child domestic workers and who are prepared to take action to protect them from exploitation and abuse.
No comments:
Post a Comment