Conference Agenda

The paper looks at the structural exploitation and emotional labour deeply ingrained in care work, mainly focusing on the intersection of familial dynamics, stress and work-family conflicts. Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of Hochschild (1983) and Stacey (2011), the paper, following a qualitative research methodology, explores the precarious conditions associated with care work, including subordination, inadequate compensation, and disproportionate burden. Based on semi-structured interviews conducted with care workers working in a gated community in Noida, India, the paper identifies affective violence—a form of emotional abuse veiled by genuine affection—as a critical but often overlooked dimension of care work. This type of abuse, masked by familial bonds or kinship, exacerbates emotional exhaustion and perpetuates the double exploitation of care workers while significantly disrupting their personal lives.

In this context, the paper attempts to address the following research question "In what ways do genuine affect and blurred boundaries between work and family life in home care settings contribute to the systemic exploitation of care workers, particularly in the Indian context?"

The analysis highlights the often-overlooked emotional strain and abuse inherent in care work, emphasizing the urgent need for systemic reforms. It specifically calls for strengthening labour market institutions, developing ethical standards, and establishing robust care infrastructure to address these pressing challenges. Situating care work within the broader context of labour rights, migration, and informal work, the paper advocates for inclusive policies to address the systemic vulnerabilities faced by care workers and promote fair and dignified working conditions. It recognizes the emotional toll on in-home care workers, crucial for fostering fair workplaces and ensuring all workers are treated with dignity and respect. By shedding light on these issues, the paper emphasizes the need to transform conditions that perpetuate exploitation, particularly the additional burdens imposed by clients’ families under the guise of kinship.

With the lack of affordable, high-quality childcare and eldercare facilities, coupled with an aging population, Sri Lankan employees—especially women—are struggling to balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Many women are either facing challenges at work or leaving the labor force at higher rates to care for children and elders. Care work, traditionally considered a female responsibility, also contributes to employers’ reluctance to hire women. Recognizing this critical issue, some companies in Sri Lanka are making a conscious effort to provide infrastructure and policies that support employees in managing both work and caregiving. The paper aims to explore how these companies create supportive infrastructure and care practices and policies to support employees in managing work and care responsibilities in Sri Lanka. Using a qualitative research methodology, data were collected from 42 companies across various sectors, including banking and finance, insurance, retail, manufacturing, education, IT, telecommunications, and healthcare. These companies ranged from small to large enterprises. Thematic analysis identified five key areas of corporate care initiatives as 1) childcare facilities provided through on-site childcare centers, childcare stipends, employer-sponsored daycare programs, partnerships with childcare providers, and emergency/backup childcare services; 2) flexible work arrangements by offering flexitime, flexible workdays, alternative work settings (e.g., temporary branch transfers during caregiving periods), remote work, and hybrid work models; 3) parental and care leave where employers grant paid maternity leave (as legally required), extended maternity leave (more than what the law requires), and special leave for caregiving; 4) promoting gender equality in care responsibilities through introducing paid paternity leave (not legally mandated in the country), conduct training and awareness programs, and encourage shared caregiving; and 5) additional care support through the facilitation of employee support groups/help groups, counseling services, and initiatives such as medicine delivery services for caregivers. However, the findings reveal a stronger corporate focus on childcare than eldercare, despite the growing need for elder support due to lack of elder care as well as cultural reluctance to use eldercare facilities. Furthermore, most of these corporate initiatives remain voluntary, highlighting the need for a structured and shared approach among employers, the government, and the community. To develop a robust care infrastructure, collaboration is essential in expanding affordable care services, implementing supportive policies, and shifting societal mindsets. This study fills a gap in existing research by uncovering organizational solutions and interventions in a patriarchal, developing-country context, where caregiving responsibilities hinder women's career progress.

This research led to the book "What Lies Behind Brazil’s Grand Houses in the 21st Century? A Diagnosis of Contemporary Domestic Slavery", which investigates the persistence of domestic slavery in contemporary Brazil, addressing the institutional, political, and legal barriers that hinder its eradication. The full study, published in January 28th, 2025, analyzes 118 labor inspection reports and 86 documented cases from 2017 to 2023, identifying a structural pattern of exploitation predominantly targeting lower class black women, often recruited in childhood and subjected to slavery-like conditions for an average of 26 years, according to the data. Moreover, the book deeply analyzes the statistics extracted from the cases, and suggests concrete improvements in order to guide public policies. Those recommendations are focused on gender pay equality and dignified conditions for the groups most affected by domestic slavery.

Among the cases, 92 people were rescued, with 78.3% being women and 21.7% men. In terms of racial composition, 82.6% of the victims were black or mixed race, and 65% had low educational attainment. The methodology combined qualitative and quantitative analyses, with data obtained from infraction reports, legal proceedings, inspection reports, and related documents. A form was used to parameterize the analysis of the documents, and the data was processed by charting the information in spreadsheets.

The study identified the most common mechanisms of exploitation, including: absence of remuneration, emotional manipulation, restriction of freedom, racial discrimination, and limited opportunities for personal/professional development. The most frequently observed form of contemporary slavery was subjection to degrading conditions, present in 83% of the cases. As for the employers, it was discovered that they were predominantly members of the urban elite, reinforcing the social and economic hierarchy that sustains these practices. Another significant factor is the naturalization of domestic work as a “natural female duty”. An important social marker of this is the way employing families refer to workers as “almost part of the family,” a notion that, in practice, is instrumentalized to deprive victims of proper labor conditions.

In the criminal perspective, the findings reveal that despite legislative advancements, law enforcement remains limited: only 16.3% of the cases resulted in criminal proceedings, with low conviction rates and insufficient compensation for victims. The conclusions and data are detailed in the aforementioned new book, which will be internationally released at the RDW 2025 Congress, contributing to the debate on gender equality, decent work, and social justice.

The governments of African countries have been experiencing policy and manpower challenges in implementing a decent work agenda in the domestic work sector in the Sub-Sahara areas, especially in Nigeria. This study explores the implementation of the Decent Work Agenda within the domestic work sector, focusing specifically on the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area in Lagos, Nigeria. The study seeks to address the various challenges that domestic workers encounter and offers evidence-based recommendations to improve their lives and rights. The literature review focuses on the historical neglect and poor working conditions experienced by domestic workers, particularly in Southwestern Nigeria. It emphasizes the necessity of understanding the evolving landscape of domestic work and the influence of the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Decent Work Agenda. The study has several key objectives, including examining the relationship between employers' awareness of decent work standards and their commitment to fair labour practices for domestic workers. It also investigates the connection between employer policies and practices and the working conditions and social protections available to domestic workers. Additionally, the research intends to guide employers, policymakers, and stakeholders in fostering decent work standards and improving labour practices within the domestic work sector. The study utilized a quantitative approach to explore the presence of domestic workers. A convenience sampling method was used to gather data through structured questionnaires from households with domestic workers. The findings highlight major challenges employers face, with trust and reliability being the most significant concerns. Other challenges include workload management and communication issues, and few employers identified legal compliance as a challenge, suggesting a lack of awareness regarding the rights of domestic workers. The study stresses that decent work is a fundamental human right, requiring collaborative efforts from various stakeholders to establish frameworks that uphold labour standards. Recommendations include enhancing social dialogue, empowering domestic workers through training, creating brochures, handbooks, and digital resources that clearly outline the rights of domestic workers, collaborating with local government offices to promote awareness campaigns, and distributing educational materials in communities to reach both workers and employers on decent work agenda. Overall, this research aims to illuminate the vital contributions of domestic workers to households and tackle the challenges they face.