The effects of informality on the health of domestic workers and possible responses from the legal system

Abstract

In recent years, Brazil has seen a notable increase in the number of people working without official registration. In this scenario, domestic work is among the most vulnerable and precarious occupations, marked by extremely low wages, unfavorable working conditions and high exposure to risks that threaten workers’ health and physical integrity. The issue of informality in domestic work represents one of the most challenging socio-economic aspects of our time, affecting millions of workers, predominantly women and blacks, who are often subjected to serious human and labour rights violations, including high incidences of sexual and moral harassment, highlighting the urgent need for reform and protection. This brief aims not only to analyses the complexity of this issue, but also to address its consequences by highlighting the urgent need for reform and protection in order to establish social justice, equality and recognition of the inherent dignity of all forms of work.