Paid Domestic Work in Urban India

Paid domestic workers perform a vital role in smooth functioning of several households in today’s world. Yet this form of work is grossly undervalued. Due to its undervalued and unregulated nature majority of these workers have indecent work life, which lack healthy working conditions and social protections. ILO (2011) has adopted domestic workers’ convention that emphasizes several labour standards and basic rights for domestic workers; which aims to make decent work a reality for these workers. This book explores an overall situation of urban domestic workers in India mainly emphasizing on their socio-economic characteristics and other important aspects. It also presents a case study of Delhi which focuses on the part-time women workers and presents a detail picture of their work life as well as home sphere. Further the book also presents an inter-linkage between the existing situation of part-time domestic workers and decent work measures proposed by ILO in its new convention (no.189). It also provides explanations as why decent work conditions are important for the overall wellbeing and development of these workers in the society.