But beyond the headlines and bureaucratic applause, a more uncomfortable question lingers: What does this actually mean for domestic workers? For the first time, domestic workers were formally recognized as “workers” under the law -- following the ratification of relevant ILO conventions. Research from Oxfam’s Securing Rights of Women Domestic Workers project shows that 63% of domestic workers experience physical or mental violence, yet only 8% report it. Discussions on domestic workers’ rights inevitably encounter resistance. Yet protecting domestic workers’ rights is not a zero-sum game.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 28, 2026 21:16 UTC