All publications: domestic workers

Policy brief

Policy brief on common myths and facts about domestic work (in Nepali)

The policy brief includes related facts and recommended laws, policies and practices drawing on the experience of the Programme.

Brief

Employers and workers negotiating measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, protect livelihoods and support recovery: A review of practice

Report

Malaysia: Review of admission and recruitment practices of Indonesian workers in the plantation and domestic work sectors and related...

Indonesian workers have provided the bulk of the workforce for the plantation and the domestic work sectors in Malaysia, thereby making a significant contribution to the Malaysian economy over the years. This study on the admission and recruitment...

Report

Enhancing standard employment contracts for migrant workers in the plantation and domestic work sectors in Malaysia

This paper was prepared for a multi-stakeholder dialogue on the use and application of standard contracts for migrant workers in the domestic and plantation sectors in Malaysia. The paper identifies areas where use and application of standard...

ILO/UN Women

Protecting the rights of domestic workers in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

This note explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic workers in Malaysia. It highlights the requirements of migrant domestic workers in light of the existing and emerging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and makes recommendations to...

Factsheet

Impact of the COVID-19 crisis on loss of jobs and hours among domestic workers

The ILO estimates that, in the early stages of the pandemic, on 15 March 2020, 49.3% of domestic workers were significantly impacted. This figure peaked at 73.7% on 15 May, before reducing to 72.3% on 4 June.

Factsheet

Beyond contagion or starvation: Giving domestic workers another way forward

In the wake of COVID-19, governments around the world have called on people to take one most important action: to stay home. But for many workers, staying home has meant losing their jobs, or worse still, losing their livelihoods.

TRIANGLE in ASEAN

Recruitment fees and related costs: What migrant workers from Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Myanmar pay to work in...

This report presents the findings of a survey on recruitment fees and related costs paid by migrant workers from Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Myanmar to work in Thailand.

TRIANGLE in ASEAN

Effective return and reintegration of migrant workers with special focus on ASEAN Member States

This report was prepared as the background document for the ASEAN Workshop on Reintegration Programmes for Returning Migrant Workers (27–28 August 2019) in Yogyakarta, organized by the Ministry of Manpower, Government of Indonesia, and the ILO...

Labour migration

The future of work and migration

Thematic background paper for the 12th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML)

TRIANGLE in ASEAN

More Choices, More Power: Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment in Labour Migration from Viet Nam

The research in this report provides an analysis of the nexus of labour migration and women’s empowerment in Viet Nam. It assesses how the experiences and outcomes of migration influence and are influenced by local conditions.

Fact sheet

The Legal Gap Analysis of Myanmar National Laws and International Standards for Domestic Workers

The nature of domestic work differs from other work. There is often only one employee per employer or workplace. The workplace is a home not a business. Many domestic workers not only work but also live in their employers’ houses making it difficult...

Domestic Workers

Legal Protection of Domestic Work in Myanmar

Traditionally, domestic work has been done by housewives or poor relatives, usually women. It has not been considered real work and has consequently not been paid as such. It has not been afforded labour protections, and not been valued as work....

Rapid Assessment on Child Domestic Work in Myanmar

The Rapid Assessment on Child Domestic Work (CDW) has been conducted to capture the dynamics of CDW in selected areas of Myanmar. The knowledge generated in the context of this RA will be used to increase the level of awareness and advocacy with the...

Migrant workers

Implementation of recommendations from the 3rd to 10th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML)

Progress review background paper for the 11th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML)

Electronic registration of domestic work in Uruguay

Fair recruitment initiative

General principles and operational guidelines for fair recruitment and definition of recruitment fees and related costs

This document brings together the ILO general principles and operational guidelines for fair recruitment (“principles and guidelines”) and the definition of recruitment fees and related costs.

Domestic workers

ILO report on decent work deficits in domestic work in Bangladesh

This report presents the findings of an evidence-based study on decent work deficits in domestic work in Bangladesh. It analyses the perceptions of 500 domestic workers surveyed in Dhaka, among them 375 serve as live-in and 125 as live-out domestic...

Briefing report

The Policy Advocacy Brief: Towards ratification of the Domestic Workers Convention in Myanmar

The Policy Advocacy Brief: Towards ratification of the Domestic Workers Convention in Myanmar is intended to be used by policy-makers and policy influencers who are searching for ways to improve the situation of domestic workers through ratification...

The definition of domestic work and domestic workers for statistical purposes