Swept Under the Rug: Abuses against Domestic Workers Around the World

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Swept Under the Rug
Abuses against Domestic Workers Around the World

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I. Introduction

Best and worst government practices

Key recommendations

To Labor Ministries

To Heads of State and Government, and Parliaments

To the Police, Attorney General’s Offices, and the Judiciary

To the Foreign Ministries of Workers’ Countries of Origin

To Ministries of Education

II. Criminal abuses against domestic workers

Psychological, physical and sexual violence

Psychological abuse

Food deprivation

Sexual harassment and assault

International human rights law and government response

International human rights law and government response

International human rights law and government response

Recommendations

To the Police, Attorney General’s Offices, and the Judiciary

To Heads of State and Government, and Parliaments

III. Exclusion from labor laws

Wage exploitation

Minimum wage and overtime pay

Wage withholding and unpaid wages

Long hours and workloads

Workers’ compensation

Health care and maternity leave

Maternity leave

Termination of contracts

Inadequate living conditions

International labor standards and government response

The right to just and favorable conditions of work

Freedom from discrimination

Recommendations

To Labor Ministries

To Heads of State and Government, and Parliaments

IV. Child domestic workers

Worst forms of child labor

Separation from family

Education denied

Barriers to education

Working in order to attend school

The effect of work on education

International human rights law and government response

Recommendations

To Heads of State and Government, and Parliaments

To Labor Ministries

To Ministries of Education

V. Migrant domestic workers

Recruitment and training

Restrictions on freedom of movement and association

Reproductive, marriage and sexual rights

Language and religion

International human rights law and government response

Recommendations

To Labor Ministries

To Heads of State and Government, and Parliaments

To the Police, Attorney General’s Offices, and the Judiciary

Acknowledgments

Appendix A – Human Rights Watch reports on domestic workers

July 2006 Volume 18, Number 7(C)