Publications on Equality and discrimination

June 2020

  1. ILO/UN Women

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

    16 June 2020

    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 protect the rights of domestic workers in Malaysia.

October 2017

  1. Good Practice

    Improving the governance and protection mechanisms for labour migration in the Middle East & Advocacy Strategy on ILO's Domestic Workers Convention in the Arab States (C189) - Final Evaluation

    24 October 2017

March 2016

  1. Social Protection Policy Paper. Paper 16

    Social protection for domestic workers: Key policy trends and statistics

    10 March 2016

    This policy paper: (i) provides an overview of the global situation of social security provisions for domestic workers in 163 countries; (ii) analyses trends, policies and gaps in terms of legal and effective social security coverage for domestic workers; (iii) describes and analyses the configuration of social security schemes for domestic workers, such as their institutional organization, financing and administration; (iv) informs on challenges to extending coverage; and (v) provides a compilation and description of international practices of social security schemes for the domestic work sector, including comparative information.

November 2015

  1. Publication

    Domestic work, wages, and gender equality: Lessons from developing countries

    30 November 2015

    GED Working Paper No. 5/2015 The paper seeks to contribute to a better understanding of developments regarding labour market participation and remuneration in the domestic work sector in comparison with other sectors. It looks at the basic characteristics of female domestic workers, gaps in minimum wage coverage, compliance, and the extent of minimum wage violations. Presenting empirical evidence on labour market inequality along gender lines, the paper discusses the role of minimum wages for reducing gender disparity, questions of regulatory design and enforcement issues.

  2. Research Department Working Paper n°7

    Domestic work, wages, and gender equality: Lessons from developing countries

    25 November 2015

  3. Study

    No easy exit – Migration bans affecting women from Nepal

    20 November 2015

August 2015

  1. Publication

    Indigenous peoples in domestic work – Facing multiple discrimination and disadvantage

    06 August 2015

    As the ILO implements its strategy on domestic work, collaborating with national constituents and other stakeholders around the world, the Office has identified many policy questions of concern to constituents. In response, the Office has combined efforts to answer these frequently asked questions, drawing from country level experience, empirical research, and knowledge-sharing. The «work in progress» series will showcase the Office’s research work in progress on these policy areas.

November 2013

  1. Domestic Work Policy Brief no. 7

    Working time of live-in domestic workers

    28 November 2013

    This document is part of a series of briefs on issues and approaches to promoting decent work for domestic workers.

July 2013

  1. Domestic Work Policy Brief no. 6

    “Meeting the needs of my family too”: Maternity protection and work-family measures for domestic workers

    01 July 2013

    This document is part of a series of briefs on issues and approaches to promoting decent work for domestic workers.

June 2012

  1. Domestic workers

    Decent work for domestic workers in Asia and the Pacific: Manual for trainers

    27 June 2012

    Invisible and undervalued no more! Domestic work is now recognized as a true occupation and domestic workers have the right to decent work, respect and dignity just like all other workers. These principles are now enshrined in international labour standards aimed at improving the working and living conditions of the millions of workers - many of them women and girls, and often migrants - caring for the families and households of others.