RD must define the approach of domestic work in social security

Santo Domingo.-  The Ministry of Labor and the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), signed an inter-institutional cooperation agreement, which establishes the conduct of an investigation to learn more about the employment situation of women in the country, especially domestic workers.

The study that will be carried out by INTEC, will identify what are the modalities of TDR in the country and how this type of work should be inserted in the national Social Security system, a pending matter among other aspects of Law 87-01, with the in order to design and promote relevant public policies in favor of this important sector.

The Minister of Labor, Francisco Domínguez Brito, highlighted the interest that exists between both institutions to collaborate together, in the execution of the investigation that will be entitled "Social Security and Domestic Workers in the Dominican Republic".

"Social security is a right enshrined in international instruments on human rights and yet, for domestic workers, its recognition and protection has been postponed as a result of the devaluation of the contribution of that work," said Domínguez Brito.

He also noted that this study will be financed with resources from the Project "Strengthening of Labor Authorities" (FOIL), which is executed by the Ministry of Labor, under the auspices of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID).

For his part, Rolando M. Guzmán, rector of INTEC, emphasized when writing his rubric that "The report shows the importance of considering the application of criteria and mechanisms similar to those that operate in the social security systems of the countries of the region" and he emphasized that part of the university's commitments in this agreement will be to carry out the study, through its Center for Gender Studies.

Situation in the region

Data from a preliminary report on paid domestic work (TDR) and social security in Latin America show the need to define the criteria and mechanisms in the social security system in the Dominican Republic.

The study, carried out by the Center for Gender Studies of INTEC (CEG-INTEC), with support from the International Labor Organization (ILO), establishes, among other data, that some 13 countries in Latin America, of 17 analyzed, have established a legal minimum wage for paid domestic work (TDR).

"Only Peru, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic have not defined it and in some countries, such as Colombia, domestic workers pay contributions for health, pension and occupational risks on an income not lower than a legal minimum wage," Lourdes explained. Contreras, director of CEG-INTEC.

Countries analyzed in the study:
Panama
Chile
Paraguay
Mexico
Colombia
Argentina
Uruguay
Bolivia
Peru
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Brazil
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Honduras
Nicaragua
Venezuela