Today, on International Domestic Workers’ Rights Day, we call on European governments to recognise the essential contribution of domestic workers, including migrant domestic workers, and to strengthen the protection of their rights. Despite the vital role they play in supporting households, communities and economies, many domestic workers remain vulnerable to severe exploitation and abuse and continue to face significant barriers to accessing justice. Governments must take concrete action to ensure fair and decent working conditions, effective access to rights and protections, and robust measures to prevent exploitation and uphold the dignity and rights of all workers in the sector.
This week, the findings from the 2026 Personal Household Services Employment Monitor conducted by EFFAT, EFFE, EFSI, and UNI-Europe, were launched. The report draws on more than 8,000 responses from workers, employers and service users across Europe, the report paints a stark picture: domestic and care workers, many of whom are migrants, remain significantly undervalued, inadequately protected and disproportionately vulnerable to exploitation.
Over the last 3 decades, La Strada International and its members have been supporting domestic and care workers in Europe and promoting their rights, as many of them experience severe forms of exploitation and abuse. Our members across Europe including FairWork, LEFO IBF, Ban Ying, MRCI, CCEM and Fondación Amaranta, have been reaching out to care workers and providing them with information about their rights, and direct legal and psycho-social support to ensure protection and prevent further harm.
Currently, through the MOBILE project, we aim to enhance social dialogue and improve conditions for third country national workers by lifting legal and practical barriers and promoting decent working conditions. Through the Trafficked En Route project, we have been examining labour exploitation of third-country nationals along migration routes within and towards Europe, including in the domestic and care sector and advocate for better rights protection.
Through our work on the ground we note, as the report also highlights, that domestic and care workers, continue to face poor working conditions, low pay and limited social protection, particularly within the largely informal personal household services sector.
Despite their importance, many workers face long hours, inadequate rest, job insecurity and exposure to abuse, with undeclared work and weak regulation further increasing vulnerability to exploitation. The report also draws attention to the growing influence of digital platforms, which often control work arrangements without taking responsibility for workers’ rights, creating further power imbalances. Overall, it stresses the need for stronger enforcement, better information, and collective organisation to improve conditions and reduce exploitation in the sector.
The report also calls for more accessible work permits, and improved access to healthcare and social services, alongside wider reforms to ensure decent work, fair wages and equal treatment under labour law.
We strongly support the report findings and its recommendations: European governments must take action and ensure structural solutions to enable all domestic workers, including those working irregularly, to effectively access labour rights, protection and justice.