The Stream

Demanding decent work

Could Latin America be a model for improving domestic workers’ rights?

Domestic workers hold up plastic washbowls during a protest against the Peruvian government in front of the Peruvian Labour Ministry building in Lima, Peru, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. (AP/Martin Mejia)

Unregulated working hours, poor compensation, physical abuse and a lack of legal protection – that is often the life of domestic workers around the world. But things may be changing in Latin America for an estimated 19.6 million of them, the vast majority of whom are women. Recently Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina have begun to enact labour laws, and bettering work environments. What can the rest of the world learn from these legal advances? Join us at 1930GMT.

View our infographic on Latin America’s domestic workers.

In this episode, we speak to:

Molly McCoy
Americas Regional Program Director, Solidarity Center
solidaritycenter.org

Adriana Scardino
Social Welfare Bank of Uruguay
 
Carmen Roca @WIEGOGlobal
Latin America Advisor, WIEGO
 
Mary Goldsmith
Professor of Women’s Studies, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana 

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.