From the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF), we condemn the crime of human trafficking and forced labor to which a young domestic worker in Peru has been subjected for over 12 years. We call on the authorities to act immediately, sanctioning the perpetrators of this crime, providing reparation and support to the victim. We also stand in solidarity with the affected worker and support our affiliates in Peru (SINTTRAHOL, FENTRAHOGARP, IPROFOTH, and CCTH) in their tireless fight for domestic workers’ fundamental rights.
On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the National Police of Peru rescued a 24-year-old woman who had been held captive in a house in the province of Chupaca, Junín, where she was subjected to labor exploitation and various forms of abuse for over 12 years. The family members who kept her captive have been arrested.
When she was just a child, and having already given birth to a child who was taken from her, the victim was kidnapped in her town of Río Tambo by a criminal organization that delivered her to a teacher in Chupaca. Without identification documents or any contact with her family, this worker was kept in slavery-like conditions for more than a decade: performing domestic tasks without rest or remuneration, living in precarious conditions, and being subjected to mistreatment.
“I urge the authorities to shelter this worker, ensure her safety, and compensate her as required by Law No. 31047 and ILO Convention 189, which clearly establish the State’s obligation to protect domestic workers’ human rights. I also demand that the woman who kept her captive be sanctioned and removed from her position as a teacher. It’s time to put an end to human trafficking and forced labor of domestic workers in Peru! It’s time to ensure the effective enforcement of our rights,” demands Paulina Luza, leader of FENTRAHOGARP and General Secretary of the Unitary Workers Confederation (CUT) of Peru.
In Peru, approximately 5,400 human trafficking complaints are reported annually (an average of 15 complaints per day). According to official data, more than 29,400 complaints were recorded between 2018 and April 2022. Of the total victims, 36.2% are minors, 85% are women, 72% were lured with false job offers, and 82% were kidnapped for sexual exploitation.
For Marcolina Infante, General Secretary of SINTTRAHOL, “It is inconceivable and unacceptable that there are still cases of human trafficking and forced labor in the country. This is a sad reality for many domestic workers who are given away by their own families or taken under deceit and against their will to big cities to be enslaved. These young women lose their childhood, the bond with their parents, and even their identity, but no one reports it out of fear or economic necessity. We demand that the authorities put an end to child labor and finally protect domestic workers.”
Globally, domestic work is among the five sectors with the highest proportion of adults in forced labor and one of the main sectors where children are found in such conditions. Additionally, 7.1 million children aged 5 to 17 are engaged in child labor in the domestic work sector, making them highly vulnerable to various forms of abuse, harassment, and violence.
The fight of the domestic workers movement to end human trafficking and forced labor in our sector does not stop: we will continue to raise our voices until the labor and human rights of all domestic workers worldwide are protected. It’s time to say ENOUGH! It’s time for States to care for those who care for their societies and contribute to the support of their economies.
#CareForThoseWhoCareForYou
