For decades, domestic workers have struggled to be recognized and to enjoy the same rights as other workers – including social protection rights. There has been significant progress over the past few years, as the workers’ movement pressured in national and international forums to have labour and social protection rights enshrined in their legal system. The ILO Convention-189 and the ratification by 35 countries, is one example of such achievements.
However, there is still a lot to be done in order to formally include domestic workers into social protection systems. But also, there are important steps to be taken in order to ensure that these workers are effectively enjoying their rights, even where they are legally entitled to them.
In order to better understand the concepts, shortcomings, challenges and advances regarding the inclusion of domestic workers in social protection schemes I talked to Maya Stern-Plaza.
Maya is the Social Protection Standards and Legal Expert of the Social Protection Department of the International Labour Organization. In addition to supporting the ratification and application of international social security standards she is also the Department’s focal point for domestic workers.
She is the main author of the report “Making the right to social security a reality for domestic workers: A global review of policy trends, statistics and extension strategies”, which is being launched today, June 16th, the International Domestic Workers’ Day.

*Our theme music is Focus from AA Aalto (Creative Commons)

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References

ILO report “Making the right to social security a reality for domestic workers: A global review of policy trends, statistics and extension strategies” https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/WCMS_848280/lang--en/index.htm

“Ten Years Since Winning C189: Domestic Workers Become an Unstoppable Movement”, by IDWF and WIEGO https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/resources/file/C189%20Ten%20Years%20Since%20Winning%20C189%20for%20web_0.pdf

"Making C189 Real": The Domestic Workers Project https://www.wiego.org/making-c189-real-domestic-workers-project
Blog: What’s Changed for Domestic Workers since C189? Our Legal

Team Unpacks the Progress, by Pamhidzai Bamu https://www.wiego.org/blog/what%E2%80%99s-changed-domestic-workers-c189-our-legal-team-unpacks-progress