Extending social

protection and

professionalization of

domestic workers in

Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda

World Bank Civil Society ForumApril 20th 2017

Valérie SchmittDeputy DirectorSocial Protection Department, ILOschmittv@ilo.org

Outline

Global trends and challenges and obstacles faced by domestic workers

The international development context

Looking on the bright side: some solutions

A new partnership: ILO - IDAY extending social protection to domestic workers in the context of ILO Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All

Global trends: Exclusion of Domesticworkers

Ongoing measures

Mandatory coverage

Voluntary coverage

Without enough information

Without coverageSource: ILO Social Protection Department, Data base on Social Protection for Domestic Workers.

Global statutory social security coverage of domestic workers

Coverage gaps in social security fordomestic workers, by region

Percentage of countries with social security coverage for domestic

workers, by region

Source: ILO Social Protection Department, Data base on Social Protection for Domestic Workers.

What are the main challenges facedby domesticworkers?

Work is done in private

households

One or multiple employers

High irregularity of income

Without contract of employment

High variability in the number of working hours

Payment in kind is very common

Residing in the household

Social and cultural factors: discrimination,

low social value

Poor working conditions

Low or even non-existent

wages

Long working hours

Little, if any, leave

Violence, in various forms

Job insecurity

Low formalization

Lack of social protection

Obstacles to extending social protection to domestic workers

Legal exclusionVoluntary nature of

coverage

Restrictive definition of domestic work in

legislation

Restrictions in contingencies covered

Exclusion linked to specific characteristics

(income, worktime, etc.)

Financing schemes not adapted to the

characteristics of the group

Unsuited administrative mechanisms

Lack of incentives

Complexity of administrative

procedures

Lack of mechanisms for multi-employer and

part-time work

Lack of awareness and organization and

representation

Legal exclusion (partial or total) for

migrant DW

SOCIAL SECURITY IS A HUMAN RIGHT FOR ALL

Domestic Workers Convention(No. 189)

Recommendation No. 201 (concerning domestic

workers)

Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952

(No. 102)

Social Protection FloorsRecommendation, 2012 (No.

202)

International Human Rights

Instruments

Social Protection is a priority of the SDGs and for the ILO

• 5 SDG targets

Target 1.3 - Implement

nationally appropriate

social protection

systems and measures

for all, including floors,

and by 2030 achieve

substantial coverage of

the poor and the

vulnerable

Target 3.8 - Achieve

universal health

coverage, including

financial risk protection,

access to quality

essential health-care

services (…)

Target 5.4 - Recognize

and value unpaid care

and domestic work

through the provision of

public services,

infrastructure and social

protection policies (…)

Target 10.4 - Adopt

policies, especially fiscal,

wage and social

protection policies, and

progressively achieve

greater equality

Target 8.5 - By 2030,

achieve full and

productive employment

and decent work for all

women and men,

including for young

people and persons with

disabilities, (..)

Fighting the barriers to extending social protection to domestic workers

• Adopting mandatory coverage

• Adapting financing mechanisms to the contributory capacity

• Strengthening institutional capacity for the contributory control, compulsion, inspection

• Increasing the bargaining power of domestic workers

• Simplifying the registration process

• Simplifying payment of contributions process

• Intensifying the use of information technologies

• Making the scheme more attractive: contingencies included and adequacy

• Improving perception of quality of benefits and services

• Increasing the level of organization and participation in unions of DWs

• Increasing the level of social awareness on the importance of social security

• Abolishing discriminatory treatment of migrant DW

ILO Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors

for All

11

Nationally definedSPFs in 21 countries

Global campaignon SPFs (global

reach)

ILO and IDAY teaming up to extend social protection to domestic workers in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda

Strengthen national legal frameworks

Raise awareness

Improve and adapt institutional capacities

Professionalization

4 CORE OBJECTIVES