Domestic workers
15 stories for 15 years of the Domestic Workers Convention
This collection brings together stories from across Asia and the Pacific to highlight progress made and the ongoing importance of protecting domestic workers’ rights and advancing decent work in the care economy.
16 June 2026
16 June 2026 marks 15 years since the adoption of the International Labour Organization’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), a landmark in the global effort to recognize domestic work as work and advance the rights, protections and decent working conditions of domestic workers.
Across Asia and the Pacific, this period has seen progress in many areas. To mark this anniversary, 15 stories from across the region are being curated to showcase change in action: the voices of domestic workers, the impact of policy reform, and the partnerships helping shape a more equitable care economy. These stories highlight both progress and remaining challenges, underscoring the continued relevance of the Domestic Workers Convention and the need to maintain efforts to ensure that domestic work is decent work across the region.
15 stories for 15 years of the Domestic Workers Convention
A long road to recognition: Domestic workers’ rights in Indonesia
New rights for domestic workers in Thailand
Empowering domestic workers: The inaugural journey of the first Myanmar domestic worker association
Finding their voices: Cambodian domestic workers speak up for rights
Fear disappears when we are not alone: Komal Devi’s journey of empowerment
From tears to hope for migrant domestic workers
Standard contract of employment for domestic workers in Sri Lanka
Ningsih’s journey from quiet worker to confident organizer
A migrant domestic worker’s journey to empowerment
Dignity at work, inside every home: Unionising Bihar’s domestic workers
Thailand pilots strategic compliance planning to strengthen protection for domestic workers
From exploitation to leadership: Yana's fight for justice
Punjab pilots employment contracts for domestic workers through landmark agreement
Nepal moves towards a world of work free from violence and harassment and stronger protections for domestic workers
Domestic workers care for our children; who cares for theirs?