The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released a policy brief today being the International Women’s Day, by calling for governments, and workers’ and employers’ organizations to guarantee labour rights and social protection for domestic workers.
The policy brief seen by TheWitness is titled: “From global care crisis to quality at home: The case for including domestic workers in care policies and ensuring their rights at work”.
The brief addresses the rising global need for paid care, exacerbated by significant unmet care needs and ageing populations.
It argues that domestic workers, whether employed by households or through service providers, are crucial in the care ecosystem.
Even those employed by households represent at least 25% of all paid care workers, with a higher proportion in countries with limited care sector investment.
With labour shortages prevalent, enhancing women’s workforce participation is therefore contingent on the availability of quality care services, necessitating decent job conditions for care roles, including domestic work.
ILO’s findings indicates that women make up three quarters of the 75.6 million domestic workers worldwide, emphasizing the importance of their rights in achieving gender equality.
However, domestic workers often lack labour rights, social protection, and access to care services for themselves and their families, such as maternity protection and childcare.
These deficits are more acute for those experiencing discrimination due to migration status, ethnicity, or origin.
The policy brief therefore urges for the integration of domestic workers into national care and social security policies, emphasizing the need for:
There are projected increases in the demand for care and domestic workers, due to rising life expectancy, indicate a significant future need.
By 2030, the population is expected to surge to 300 million according to an ILO report, with the care economy’s growth presenting potential for job creation and narrowing gender gaps, assuming investment aligns with demand.
