Experiences of migrant domestic-workers during the COVID-19 pandemic period

This research focuses on the experiences and the changing working conditions of domestic migrant women care workers during the Covid-19 pandemic period in Turkey. It is known that working conditions worsened and gender-based discrimination and violence increased during the pandemic period in the field of domestic care, where precarious work is already common. The problems experienced by migrant women working in domestic care services during the pandemic period are pointed out in the reports of international organizations such as the International Labor Organization (ILO). This research examines the changing working conditions and problems faced by migrant women working in the field of domestic care in Turkey during the Covid-19 pandemic over a case study and from a gender perspective. This research was designed with a qualitative research approach. In-depth interviews, observation and informal conversation were used as data collection tools in the research, accompanied by a semi-structured question guide. The primary interviewees were female immigrants from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan working in live-in domestic care services, however, intermediary companies and non-governmental organizations (NGO) operating in this field were also interviewed. In total, 11 domestic workers, one intermediary agent and members from a domestic workers' union (IMECE) were interviewed. As a result of the preliminary interviews with immigrant women met during a TUBITAK-1002 study in which the researcher was a scholar, access was provided to immigrant women working in the domestic field, especially during the pandemic period, by using the snowball method. The interviews were conducted face-to-face with the interviewees in Düzce and Istanbul, and web-based with the interviewees in Ankara and Antalya. The audio recordings taken during the interview were deciphered in Turkish, analysed and the findings and reporting part of the research were created. This study aims to understand the working conditions of domestic migrant women workers during the Covid-19 pandemic period in Turkey through their own experiences, to raise awareness about the problems they experience and to make policy recommendations. Research findings indicate that migrant women domestic workers have experienced increasing working hours and workloads, lower wages in worse work conditions, and increasing rate of dismissal and work circulation during the Covid-19 pandemic period. This study also points out to the growing and institutionalization of social networks of women immigrants which can used both in the migration process and in solving the problems they experience.