By Geir T. Tonstol
Today, on International Domestic Workers Day, we mark fourteen years since the adoption of the landmark ILO Convention No. 189 on Domestic Workers, a global commitment to uphold the rights and dignity of those who perform paid work in private homes. It affirmed what should be obvious: domestic workers are workers, and they deserve the same protections, wages and respect afforded to any other occupation.
Yet, even today, this simple truth is too often ignored.
Across Asia, including here in Pakistan, the pressures of our time are mounting. We are living through a period of overlapping crises: rising geopolitical tensions, record-breaking extreme weather events, spiraling living costs and deepening social inequality. These disruptions have made clear that domestic work is essential. It is the invisible infrastructure that keeps households — and by extension, societies — functioning. In moments of disaster, it becomes a vital lifeline.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic workers in Pakistan were among the hardest hit. Many lost their jobs and livelihoods overnight, with only a few employers continuing to pay wages during lockdowns. Women domestic workers, in particular, bore the brunt of these economic shocks.
The government relief services, and cash award programmes commenced during the COVID -19 did not take majority of the domestic workers into account as beneficiaries of these relief measures.
Crisis response systems rarely account for domestic workers, either as contributors to recovery or as individuals in need of protection themselves. This blind spot reveals a deeper problem: the ongoing failure to value care and domestic labour as essential to our collective well-being.
Despite their critical contributions, domestic workers across the region remain among the most exploited and unprotected workers. With an estimated 8.5 million domestic workers in Pakistan — many of them women and young girls — the sector remains one of the most informal and unprotected in the labour market. Most domestic workers operate without formal contracts or clear terms of employment. Working hours are undefined, and issues such as occupational safety, workplace harassment — including sexual harassment — remain widespread. Alarmingly, there have been repeated cases of violence against domestic workers, highlighting their vulnerability and lack of legal protection.
Over a quarter of domestic workers in these countries work seven days a week with no day off. In Pakistan also, many are excluded from basic labour laws that guarantee rest time, maximum working hours, or even the right to a minimum wage. In addition, domestic workers’ skills and experience are rarely reflected in what they earn.
These are not isolated cases — they reflect systemic neglect.
Still, there are signs of progress. In Punjab, the Government enacted the Domestic Workers Act in 2019, aimed at regulating working conditions for domestic workers. With support from the ILO, the province introduced a minimum wage for domestic workers and extended access to the Punjab Employees Social Security Institution (PESSI), allowing workers to self-contribute a nominal PKR 300 (approx. US$1) to receive benefits.
With ILO Pakistan’s support, domestic workers have also gained a voice in policy discussions through the Domestic Workers Union (DWU). A Domestic Workers Employers Association (DWEA) has also been established in Punjab. To date, more than 2,000 domestic workers have registered with PESSI and are now entitled to social security benefits.
These are promising steps toward promoting decent work for domestic workers in Punjab, with other provinces beginning to follow suit. Real progress depends not only on new laws, but on their enforcement. Without accountability, ratification risks becoming symbolic. Governments must invest in monitoring, grievance redressal, and legal support systems to ensure domestic workers are truly protected.
Yet most countries in the region continue to exclude domestic workers from social protection frameworks, leaving them without a safety net when they are most vulnerable.
Recognizing domestic workers’ rights is not a gesture of charity. It is an essential, practical, forward-looking policy choice. Governments can legislate comprehensive protections. Trade unions can organize domestic workers and amplify their voices. Employers can adopt practices to ensure decent working conditions and fair treatment. And all of us, as members of society, can shift how we perceive domestic work, not as invisible, informal help, but as a vital component of our economy and our resilience.
We may not be able to prevent every crisis. But we can strengthen our societies’ ability to respond and recover. Protecting domestic workers and recognizing the vital role they play must be part of that strategy.
Let us build a future where domestic workers are no longer overlooked in our homes, laws, or disaster plans. Let us finally treat their work as what it truly is: essential.
Geir T. Tonstol is the Country Director for Pakistan at the International Labour Organization.
