The work that keeps households functioning often offers little security to those who perform it. New International Labour Organization estimates show that 66.5 million domestic workers, or 83.1 per cent of the global total, were informally employed in 2025, without effective labour and social protection. Published on 27 October 2026, the findings reveal a persistent gap between the economic importance of domestic work and the safeguards available to its workforce.
Progress Conceals a Wider Gap
Domestic employment reached 80 million in 2025, compared with 75.6 million in 2019. Yet its share of total employment remained around 2.2 per cent, suggesting that the increase largely followed broader employment growth rather than a substantial expansion of the sector.
The central finding requires careful interpretation. Although global informality rose from approximately 81 to 83 per cent, informality declined or remained stable in 91 of the 140 countries with comparable data. The global deterioration partly reflects workforce growth in countries where informal employment is already widespread. This means aggregate figures can conceal national improvements, making country level assessment essential when judging policy effectiveness.
Unequal Protection Across Regions
Geography substantially shapes workers’ exposure to insecurity. Around half of domestic workers are in Asia and the Pacific, while Africa recorded an additional 4.2 million workers since 2019. Informality affects 93.3 per cent of domestic workers in Africa and is almost universal in the Arab States. Even Europe and Central Asia, the region with the lowest rate, leaves more than one third informally employed.
These differences suggest that a uniform policy response would be insufficient. Where informality is pervasive, protection requires broad improvements in registration, legal coverage and enforcement. Lower regional rates, meanwhile, should not obscure persistent exclusion. The ILO’s emphasis on targeted formalization strategies reflects the need to adapt implementation to different national circumstances.
Low Pay Magnifies Insecurity
Domestic workers receive average monthly wages equivalent to 53.3 per cent of those earned by other employees. For informally employed domestic workers, the figure falls to 48.7 per cent. These monthly comparisons indicate substantial earnings inequality, although they should not be interpreted as direct measures of hourly pay because working hours also vary.
More than one third work at least 49 hours weekly, while nearly 15 per cent work 60 hours or more. Others face short working hours and limited earnings, potentially indicating underemployment. Consequently, working time protections must address both excessive hours and insufficient paid employment. Women constitute 77.2 per cent of the workforce, giving these employment gaps a pronounced gender dimension.
From Recognition to Implementation
Forty countries have ratified ILO Convention No. 189, which establishes standards for decent domestic work. Ratification represents a formal commitment, but effective protection also depends on implementation. The ILO recommends accessible registration, social protection, effective wage safeguards, working time protections and stronger enforcement, alongside dialogue between workers and employers.
The practical challenge is therefore not simply to adopt standards, but to make compliance workable and protections accessible. Implementation connects legal recognition with measurable improvements in workers’ daily conditions.
A Final Note
The findings show neither universal policy failure nor sufficient progress. National improvements coexist with widespread insecurity. Evaluating future reforms will require attention to actual protection, earnings and working conditions, rather than legal commitments alone.
