The meaning of social media for women domestic workers during the Covid-19 pandemic

Social media plays an important role during the Covid-19 pandemic, where physical activity and community mobility are limited. Especially for women who work as domestic workers who live with their employers. Social media is the only means for them to connect with the outside world.Previous studies have shown that a person's identity can be shown through the front stage and the back stage. Theoretically, this study analyzing how women domestic workers identify themselves through the online realm using social media. This study uses a constructivist paradigm and a qualitative approach. The research participants were three women domestic worker who were obtained purposively using the snowball sampling technique. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and observation to participants. The results of the study show that social media allows participants to construct a reality in the online realm that is different from their situation in real life. Therefore, social media has a very important meaning for participants, because with social media, participants feel their position is equal to other users. They also have access to create a front stage and a back stage, where they can create their ideal self-identity. The aspect of self that are presented by the participants on the front stage is individuals who are successful and happy with their lives. For participants, this is an aspect of their ideal self, even though it does not represent their actual state.

Pandemic Shock Absorbers: Domestic Workers’ Activism at the Intersection of Immigrants’ and Workers’ Rights

During the current global pandemic, when the family or household has been considered the most basic unit of quarantine, the role of the domestic worker – someone who by definition crosses the threshold and enters the space of the home – became problematised quickly. These workers’ ‘outsider’ status – transgressing the boundaries not just of the physical household space, but often also of race, immigration status, and class – has meant that some household workers were more readily regarded as disease vectors who were too risky to allow into the home and let go with little or no warning. In the United States, many of the federal and state relief bills responding to the pandemic continue to exclude the sector or undocumented immigrant workers or both from accessing relief measures. Drawing on an online ethnography of organisations and policy reviews, we analyse the multilevel response of domestic workers’ organisations to address the crisis at both the federal and local levels, with focus on the state of Massachusetts. This chapter tackles the variety of ways in which worker centres in the United States have been at the frontline of the response to domestic workers’ needs, addressing a gap in mainstream and otherwise insufficient relief measures provided by the government. Because of these gaps and the sheer level of need faced by these workers and their families, these centres did what they were prepared to do: continue the service provision, education, organising, and advocacy efforts while expanding their efforts in each of these areas of work.

Domestic workers in New Zealand and the implications of International Labour Organization Convention No. 189

<p>There are an estimated 52.6 million domestic workers in the world, 83 per cent of whom are women, and many of whom work in poor conditions for low pay. Globally, domestic work is an under-regulated and under-valued sector. In an effort to address the precariousness of domestic work, the International Labour Organization adopted Convention No 189, concerning decent work for domestic workers. The Convention came into force on 5 September 2013. It provides for global minimum standards in areas in respect to which domestic workers should enjoy employment and social protection. The rights of domestic workers in New Zealand are addressed in a number of pieces of legislation, including the Employment Relations Act 2000, the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and the Human Rights Act 1993. Although some categories of domestic worker receive protection under the legislation, others do not. This paper argues that the coverage of domestic workers in New Zealand is confusing and incomplete. For many domestic workers in New Zealand low pay and poor working conditions are a reality. If New Zealand’s domestic workers are to receive the same protection as other New Zealand employees and those domestic workers in nations that have ratified Convention No 189, then ratification of the Convention and associated domestic legislative change may be necessary to bring domestic law into line with international labour law. In the absence of ratification there are a number of options that could be pursued to improve the working lives of domestic workers in New Zealand.</p>

Domestic workers in New Zealand and the implications of International Labour Organization Convention No. 189

<p>There are an estimated 52.6 million domestic workers in the world, 83 per cent of whom are women, and many of whom work in poor conditions for low pay. Globally, domestic work is an under-regulated and under-valued sector. In an effort to address the precariousness of domestic work, the International Labour Organization adopted Convention No 189, concerning decent work for domestic workers. The Convention came into force on 5 September 2013. It provides for global minimum standards in areas in respect to which domestic workers should enjoy employment and social protection. The rights of domestic workers in New Zealand are addressed in a number of pieces of legislation, including the Employment Relations Act 2000, the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and the Human Rights Act 1993. Although some categories of domestic worker receive protection under the legislation, others do not. This paper argues that the coverage of domestic workers in New Zealand is confusing and incomplete. For many domestic workers in New Zealand low pay and poor working conditions are a reality. If New Zealand’s domestic workers are to receive the same protection as other New Zealand employees and those domestic workers in nations that have ratified Convention No 189, then ratification of the Convention and associated domestic legislative change may be necessary to bring domestic law into line with international labour law. In the absence of ratification there are a number of options that could be pursued to improve the working lives of domestic workers in New Zealand.</p>

Health Literacy among Filipino Domestic Workers in Macao

Migrant worker is a global phenomenon that is associated with the health of individuals and populations. Filipino workers constitute the largest group of non-Chinese migrant workers in Macao, they are mainly employed as domestic workers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the status of health literacy (HL) and associated factors among Filipino domestic workers in Macao. The study is a cross-sectional study. Chi square’s test and binary logistic regression models were used for data analyzing. Filipino who was employed by a family in Macao as a domestic worker within the valid contract period was eligible in the study. A total of 379 valid questionnaires were collected during December 2020 and March 2021. Health literacy was measured using the short-form Health Literacy Instrument (HLS-SF12). The results showed that only 37.4% of the respondents have sufficient health literacy. Age was an important factor that was associated with health literacy, with Filipino domestic workers younger than and equal to 30 years of age more likely to have inadequate health literacy. The results will help to make recommendations for further research and public health policy.

Socio-cultural factors of child domestic labour in the urban centre: A quantitative study of Peshawar Pakistan

This research article investigates the socio-economic factors of child domestic labour. The quantitative methods utilize for the exploring the causal factors of child domestic labour. Data collected from 341 child domestic labour and their parents through snowball sampling techniques from the universe of the study. Uni-variate and Bi-variate statistics applied for the analysis of primary data. Poverty and over-population reinforce the child domestic labour in the urban centre of Pakistan. Large family size and unemployment compel parents to allow children in school age as a domestic worker. Gender discrimination and poverty also increase children's susceptibility to work as domestic labour. Pashtun, culturally more preferred children to keep them as a domestic labour and Pashtuns allow children to work inside home due to purdah (veil). Domestic child labour also psycho-sextual and physical abuses and it is not reported in majority cases. Socio-economic protection of children and education significantly decrease the ratio of child domestic labour. It suggests to control over-population and provides socio-economic protection will decrease the ration of child domestic labour in the urban centre of Pakistan.

Transgresiones domésticas y agencia femenina en “Las dependencias” (1999) de Lucrecia Martel=Domestic Transgressions and Female Agency in Lucrecia Martel’s Las dependencias (1999)

<p align="left"><strong>Resumen</strong></p><p>Este trabajo estudia la representación fílmica de la empleada doméstica en <em>Las dependencias</em> (Lucrecia Martel, 1999), telefilm dedicado a la escritora argentina Silvina Ocampo. Este documental es pionero dentro del cine latinoamericano contemporáneo por el lugar central que la doméstica ocupa como sujeto femenino complejo e idiosincrático, un protagonismo inexistente en el cine del siglo pasado. A través del análisis de los testimonios de las empleadas, de los espacios y objetos domésticos y de la intertextualidad con el cuento de Ocampo <em>Las vestiduras peligrosas</em>, exploro la representación de las diferencias de clase, la dinámica de poder en la relación afectiva entre criada-señora y las diferentes estrategias de resistencia que hacen de la empleada un sujeto con voz y agencia propia.</p><p align="left"><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>This article studies the filmic representation of the female domestic worker in <em>Las dependencias</em> (Lucrecia Martel, 1999), a film about the Argentine writer Silvina Ocampo. This is a pioneer documentary in contemporary Latin American cinema based on the centrality given to the housekeeper as a complex and idiosyncratic character, a portrayal not found in 20^th century Latin American cinema. Through the analysis of the female workers’ testimonies, domestic places and objects, and the intertextuality with Ocampo’s short story <em>Las vestiduras peligrosas</em>, we explore the representation of class differences, the power dynamics and the affective dimensions found in the servant-mistress relationship, and the strategies of resistance that make the domestic worker a subject with a voice and agency of her own.</p>

Intensity of Poverty and Work Diversification: A Study of Female Domestic Workers’ Household

It is now a recognized fact that the earning from a single source does not provide a sufficient means of survival for a majority of poor households in developing countries. Accordingly, most of the poor households depend on a diverse portfolio of activities and income sources. This study is based on a primary survey of 334 female domestic workers in the district of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India from January to June 2016. The results of intensity of poverty show that 49% of these households are multi-dimensionally poor with 36.4% intensity of poverty. The severity and acuteness of deprivation is addressed by diversification into non-agricultural employment. The wage of the female domestic worker is not only an important determinant of livelihood strategy it is also a motivating factor for diversification. Large sections of the male workforce diversify into various non-farm activities such as manufacturing and construction in the secondary sector or hotel and restaurant, transport and so on in the services sector. Our findings reveal that diversification into non-farm informal sector is a vital option for livelihood sustenance irrespective of landless or land poor households. JEL Codes: J160, J460, J310, R23