Domestic work, wages, and gender equality: Lessons from developing countries

GED Working Paper No. 5/2015 The paper seeks to contribute to a better understanding of developments regarding labour market participation and remuneration in the domestic work sector in comparison with other sectors. It looks at the basic characteristics of female domestic workers, gaps in minimum wage coverage, compliance, and the extent of minimum wage violations. Presenting empirical evidence on labour market inequality along gender lines, the paper discusses the role of minimum wages for reducing gender disparity, questions of regulatory design and enforcement issues.