ILO Reports Widespread Lack of Formal Protections for Domestic Workers
A new report released to mark the 15th anniversary of the adoption of its Domestic Workers Convention estimated that 66.5 million domestic workers, representing 83.1% of the global workforce in the sector, were informally employed in 2025. This represented an increase of 5.1 million workers compared with 2019.
The worldwide domestic workforce expanded to 80 million people, up from 75.6 million in 2019, with women making up 77.2% of those employed in the sector.
Domestic workers received average monthly wages equivalent to just 53.3% of what other employees earned, down from 56.4% in 2019. Pay was even lower among informally employed domestic workers, whose earnings averaged 48.7% of other employees’ wages.
The report also highlighted lengthy working hours, finding that 35.2% of domestic workers worked at least 49 hours weekly, while 14.6% worked 60 hours or more.
Informal employment was most prevalent in Africa, where it affected 93.3% of domestic workers, and was described as "nearly universal" across Arab states. Europe and Central Asia recorded the lowest regional proportion, yet more than one-third of domestic workers there still lacked formal employment arrangements.
"Progress in many countries shows that change is possible. But with more than 66 million domestic workers still in informal employment and their wages falling further behind those of other employees, much more needs to be done," said Patrick Belser, chief of the ILO's informal work branch.
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