Assessment of the domestic work sector in the West Bank governorates

To better understand the realities of the domestic work sector in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), the International Labour Organization (ILO) commissioned a study to explore the dynamics of the sector and the working conditions of domestic workers. Conducted in late 2016, the study is intended to provide an overview of the sector while calling for more extensive research.

As in all other parts in the world, domestic workers provide immense contributions to the national economies and societies. However, domestic workers, mainly women, remain primarily engaged in informal employment and are among the most vulnerable groups of workers. They usually work for private households, often without clear terms of employment, unregistered in any book, and excluded from the scope of labour legislation. Currently there are at least 67 million domestic workers worldwide.

This study is the first of its kind in the OPT and it was inspired by the Directive No. 2 issued by the Ministry of Labour in 2013 aimed at protecting the rights of domestic workers. The paper provides information on the legal framework regulating domestic work in the OPT and through quantitative and qualitative analysis provides information on the status of domestic workers, their working conditions and working relation with the employers. Finally, it provides some policy recommendations for improving knowledge on the sector and ameliorate the working conditions of domestic workers in line with the ILO Convention concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers, 2011 (No. 189) and its Recommendation (No. 201).