“When I started working at people’s homes, I faced a lot of discrimination,” says Rubina*, 35, a domestic worker from Islamabad, Pakistan. “There is no concept of a minimum wage, fixed job hours, fixed salary or overtime. There is no paid leave even if a domestic worker is with child.”
This is the reality for many of the young girls and women living in Islamabad’s slum that I work with on a daily basis. These women are forced to take on domestic work to make ends meet, offering their services in houses in posh areas of the city. It’s not an easy task — and one that is blighted with difficulty due to their lack of rights.
Why? In Pakistan, domestic work falls under the category of informal labor. That means labor and protection rights are not secure, while young girls are often vulnerable to child labor.
About the author
Iffat Jamil
Iffat Jamil is program unit manager for Plan International Pakistan’s urban program in Islamabad. She has completed a Masters in Agriculture Economics and, after wanting to extend her knowledge further, she decided to study Development Studies at Melbourne University, Australian. Iffat now works in Plan International Pakistan’s Urban Program, where she ensures children receive their basic rights, including health, education, protection and an adequate standard of living. She is passionate about children and women’s rights and is working hard to ensure the rights of domestic workers, in particular, are recognized.