Human Rights Psda
Human Rights Psda
• The term “ domestic workers” has been defined u/s 2(f) of the Domestic workers Welfare and Social Security
act of 2010 as :
“Domestic Worker” means, a person who is employed for remuneration whether in cash or kind , in any
house hold ‘or similar Establishments’ through any agency or directly, either on a temporary or contract basis
or permanent, part time or full time to do the household or allied work and includes a “Replacement worker”
who is working as a replacement for the main workers for a short and specific period of time as agreed with
the main worker;
• The Domestic Workers convention,2011 , a United Nations Treaty providing international standards
aimed at improving the lives of domestic workers around the world defines “Domestic worker”
as anyone engaged in domestic work within an emplyoment relationship and EXCLUDES those
who perform domestic work on ocassional basis and not on occupational basis
• “Countless households around the world rely on migrant domestic workers. This contribution to
society should not only be acknowledged and valued but it is also time for States and private
employment companies to protect, respect and fulfil the human rights of all migrant domestic
workers, including of the most vulnerable ones,” said Urmila, Bhoola, UN expert on contemporary
forms of slavery.
1. No uniform policy
Till 2021 individual states were to formulate their own protections and maintain
their own databases with respect to unorganized workers(which includes domestic
workers as well as per the unorganized social security act ,2008) .
2. State protection is neither consistent nor uniformly implemented and in
some cases even non existent
However, to date, 25 countries have ratified the Domestic Workers Convention No. 189 , another 30 or so
have adopted laws or policies extending protections to domestic workers, and only
25 countries have ratified the Forced Labour Protocol . Governments, employers and workers, as well as
individual households, all have a role to play to ensure protection of domestic workers from violence and
harassment.