By Ana Virginia Moreira Gomes, Regional Director of the ILO for Latin America and the Caribbean
Every 16 June, on International Domestic Workers Day, we remember a fundamental truth: domestic work is care work. This is affirmed in the Resolution concerning decent work and the care economy adopted by the International Labour Conference in June 2024. Care is essential for the functioning of our societies, yet it has historically been invisible and unprotected. We all give and receive care throughout our lives. That is why it is essential for care, including domestic work, to be at the heart of public policies.
This year marks the 14th anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention No. 189, which recognizes the fundamental rights of domestic workers. This instrument was a turning point in the pursuit of decent work in this sector.
Latin America and the Caribbean have led in ratifying[1] this Convention, with significant legislative advances in at least eight countries[2] that have reformed or enacted specific laws to combat discrimination against domestic workers. In other cases, labour standards have been adapted, and strategic litigation, such as in Mexico and El Salvador, has helped extend rights coverage.
A significant gap still exists between legal frameworks and the lived realities of domestic workers. Today, paid domestic work continues to be marked by great inequalities. In our region, 91 per cent of domestic workers are women. Of these, 72 per cent are in informal employment, limiting their access to social security, legal protection and basic working conditions. Moreover, over 35 per cent are migrants facing dual vulnerabilities linked to their employment situation and their migration status.
Working conditions remain precarious. In many countries of the region, informality rates in domestic work exceed 75 per cent. Many workers earn below the legal minimum wage, and a significant portion only earn the minimum.
In addition, child domestic labour remains one of the most invisible and normalized forms of child labour in Latin America and the Caribbean. Thousands of girls are forced to leave school to undertake unpaid care responsibilities, often without safety nets or adequate institutional support.
Excessive work hours are also common. Many domestic workers work up to 60 hours per week, while others are underemployed, working fewer than 20 hours, hindering their access to contributory benefits. They also face multiple risks, including violence and harassment.
In 2024, employment in paid domestic work remained below pre-pandemic levels. Average working hours have also decreased in many cases due to the increase in part-time contracts. This reduction represents an additional obstacle to formalization and social protection.
This situation is even more concerning in the context of the care crisis in our region. With rapid population ageing projected to reach 18.9 per cent of people aged over 65 years or older by 2050, demand for care will surge. This burden continues to fall disproportionately on women, both at home and in the workplace.
The ILO has proposed a concrete roadmap: “Making domestic work decent work: Investing in care”. This strategy is based on five fundamental pillars: formalization; equal rights with other wage workers; valuing domestic work; strengthening social dialogue; and promoting occupational health and safety policies adapted to this sector. It is already being implemented in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico, and we hope more countries will soon join this commitment to change.
Ensuring decent work for domestic workers is not only a matter of social justice, but it is a development strategy. Caring for caregivers is essential to building more inclusive, resilient and sustainable societies.
As the late Luiza Batista, President of the National Council of Domestic Workers of Brazil, said:
“My dream is reclaim labour rights, for domestic workers to be respected and valued … to have policies that guarantee dignity. Dreaming doesn’t cost anything, and I believe that one day this dream can become reality.”
[1] Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
[2] Venezuela (2012), Ecuador (2012 and 2015), Argentina (2013), Brazil (2013 and 2015), Chile (2014 and 2020), Paraguay (2015 and 2019), Mexico (2019) and Peru (2020).
