Progress on Domestic Workers’ Rights, but Gaps Remain

Tomorrow marks 10 years since the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted a groundbreaking treaty establishing global labor standards to protect domestic workers’ rights. In that time, 32 countries have joined and at least 70 have improved labor protections for these workers –mostly women – who have long been neglected and exploited.

A new video features domestic worker leaders reflecting on the progress achieved since the ILO Domestic Workers Convention was adopted. Changes include new, comprehensive laws in several countries and incremental improvements in others, including minimum wages, rest days, paid holidays, written contracts, access to labor courts, and collective bargaining agreements. The organization of the domestic work sector has also been growing: the International Domestic Worker Federation, founded in 2013, now has half a million members worldwide.