Advancing Decent Work for Domestic Workers

The work of caring and cleaning in the employer’s home for pay, one of the most important occupations for millions of women around the world, is precarious, low-paid, and unprotected, as it is often excluded totally or in part from the scope of labour law. If decent work is to become a reality for these workers, national laws and enforcement mechanisms must identify and address the specific characteristics of domestic work. In 2011, the ILO is expected to adopt new, specific international labour standards on domestic work. This project aims to contribute towards better and more equitable living and working conditions for domestic workers, through improved international and national norms and policies in this domain. To this end, the project will: 1) facilitate the well-informed participation of ILO's constituents in the standard-setting process towards the adoption of international labour standards on domestic work, and the promotion of the implementation of the adopted standards; 2) provide capacity-building and technical assistance at national level to concerned stakeholders (in a broad range of areas, e.g. drafting labour legislation; collecting relevant statistical data, designing well-suited organization strategies etc.; and 3) assist workers’ and employers’ organizations in addressing domestic work. This two year-project will act at the global, regional and national levels in a mutually-reinforcing fashion. National action will focus on selected countries with a proven political willingness to improve the status of these workers.

Project symbol

GLO/10/14/LUX

Admin unit

TRAVAIL

Start date

01/07/2010

End date

31/12/2012

Total allocation

1292374

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

1292374

Development Partners

Luxembourg, Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et européennes

Country/Countries

Global

Outcomes

Working Conditions