Domestic Labor Dynamics in the Global South

Domestic labour in low- and middle-income countries remains a cornerstone of household reproduction and social welfare, yet persists largely in the shadows of formal policy and public discourse. Predominantly undertaken by women, often from marginalised ethnic or caste groups, this work spans tasks from cleaning and cooking to elder care and childminding. Rapid urbanisation and the expansion of a salaried middle class have increased demand for paid domestic help, driving rural–urban migration and reconfiguring traditional household roles. Simultaneously, shifts from live-in to live-out and part-time arrangements have afforded some workers greater autonomy, even as they negotiate precarious employment, irregular wages and limited social protection. Intermediary actors such as placement agencies and digital platforms have emerged to mediate supply and demand, introducing new forms of training, regulation and surveillance. Yet these mechanisms often replicate existing hierarchies, reinforcing labour segmentation along lines of gender, race and class. Recent crises, from pandemic lockdowns to economic downturns, have further exposed the vulnerability of care-domestic workers, underscoring calls for comprehensive labour rights, social security inclusion and recognition of domestic work as essential economic activity.

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Domestic Labor Dynamics in the Global South publication trend

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Technical terms

Informal sector: Economic activities outside formal regulatory frameworks, often without social protection or labour rights.

Live-out domestic work: Employment in which workers return to their own homes after daily shifts, as opposed to residing with employers.

Intersectionality: Analytical framework recognising how overlapping social identities (gender, race, class) produce distinct modes of discrimination.

Care economy: Sector encompassing both paid and unpaid activities aimed at meeting the care needs of children, elderly and other dependents.

References

1. Placement agencies for care-domestic labour: Everyday mediation, regimes of punishment, civilizing missions, and training in globalized India. Modern Asian Studies (2022).
2. Contestation and constraint: commuting domestic workers and their employers in contemporary Kolkata. South Asian History and Culture (2022).
3. Platform ‘glitch as surprise’. City (2021).