Domestic workers rights in Brazil are at the center of a long-standing feminist and labor struggle led by women who sustain households, families and the care economy.

With nearly 7.2 million domestic workers nationwide, 95% of whom are women—most of them Black—domestic work in Brazil is deeply shaped by structural racism, gender inequality, and historical exclusion. In this context, FENATRAD (Federação Nacional das Trabalhadoras Domésticas) has emerged as a powerful collective force, organizing, advocating, and building dignity for domestic workers across the country.

A National Movement Rooted in Collective Power

FENATRAD is a national federation that brings together 18 domestic workers’ unions and two associations across 13 Brazilian states. Its mission is clear: to defend labor rights, strengthen political participation, and support domestic workers in claiming recognition as workers with full rights.

For many domestic workers, organizing is not just about improving working conditions—it is about reclaiming self-worth in a society that has long devalued their labor.

“We focus on empowerment because most domestic workers are Black women, poor women, with limited access to education, who often come to believe they can’t achieve their goals. We fight to help them recognize the value of their own work.”
— Cleide Pinto Pereyra, FENATRAD

Domestic Work, Racism, and Gender Inequality in Brazil

Paid domestic work in Brazil reflects the country’s long history of enslavement and racial hierarchy. For centuries, the labor of enslaved Africans and their descendants sustained Brazilian society. Today, that legacy persists in the systematic undervaluation of care and domestic work.

The reality is stark:

• 7.2 million domestic workers in Brazil

• 95% are women

• 65% are Black women

• Average income is just 76% of the national minimum wage

Despite legal advances, many domestic workers still face informal employment, lack of contracts, unpaid benefits, and daily disrespect within private households.

From Historical Struggle to Political Change

The roots of the movement date back to 1936, when Laudelina Campos de Melo, herself a domestic worker, founded the first domestic workers’ association in São Paulo. However, domestic work was only officially recognized as a profession in 1972, and later incorporated into the Brazilian Constitution in 1988.

Even today, domestic workers continue to fight for rights that are guaranteed to other professions.

Since 1985, FENATRAD has played a decisive role in advancing this struggle. The federation has influenced public policy at municipal, state, and federal levels, established a permanent presence in Brasília, and actively participated in key political spaces—such as the inter-ministerial working group on the National Care Policy.

One of its major achievements was contributing to the approval of Constitutional Amendment No. 72 (2013), a milestone in expanding labor rights for domestic workers.

Beyond Labor Rights: Building Confidence and Leadership

FENATRAD’s work goes far beyond legal advocacy. Through workshops, training programs, and ongoing support for unions, the federation strengthens self-confidence, leadership, and collective identity among domestic workers—challenging the deeply rooted prejudices that have marginalized them for generations.

“Our struggle is about equalizing rights. We want to be recognized as workers like any other, both economically and culturally.”
— Cleide Pinto, FENATRAD

A Long-Term Partnership for Structural Change

In this journey, FENATRAD has found a committed ally in ELAS+ Giving for Change, a feminist fund dedicated to advancing women’s rights and gender justice in Brazil.

For more than 15 years, ELAS+ has supported FENATRAD with flexible, long-term funding, institutional strengthening, mentoring, and resources that prioritize collective care and organizational sustainability.

According to FENATRAD, this partnership stands out for its trust-based approach and its ability to adapt to real needs on the ground.

“They listen to us and adapt to our reality. That makes all the difference. With ELAS+, we are able to focus on our work, our unions, and our long-term vision.”
— Cleide Pinto, FENATRAD

In 2022 alone, ELAS+ disbursed USD 1.5 million to 22 organizations working on care economy initiatives across Brazil.

Rewriting the Future of Domestic Work

Together, FENATRAD and ELAS+ are helping transform the lives of millions of domestic workers—strengthening labor rights, expanding economic opportunities, and challenging the inequalities that have shaped Brazilian society for generations.

Their work reminds us that supporting domestic workers’ movements is not only about labor justice. It is about recognition, dignity, and the right of women to organize, lead, and thrive.