Tuesday, March 31st, 2026

Across Asia and the Pacific, care work sustains households and economies but remains undervalued and under-protected. Domestic workers and home-based workers—most of them women—play a vital role in the care economy while often facing informal employment, lack of legal recognition, and limited access to labour rights and social protection.

This first session of the WIEGO, IDWF, and HomeNet International Care Economy Webinar Series explores how care work is understood from a labour perspective and highlights the experiences and policy demands of domestic workers and home-based workers in the region. Bringing together worker leaders, policy experts, and advocates, the discussion will examine ongoing labour reforms, regional policy frameworks, and the organizing efforts that are advancing recognition, rights, and protections for informal care workers.

Deepa Barathi

Senior Gender Specialist, International Labour Organization (ILO), Asia-Pacific

Rodora Turalde Babaran (TBC)

Director, Human Development Directorate, ASEAN Secretariat

Renata Nowak-Garmer

Social Protection Programme, WIEGO

Prabha Pokharel

Chairperson, Home-Based Worker Concern Society Nepal
Member, Gender Committee – HomeNet International

Suntaree Saeng-ging

Executive Director, HomeNet Southeast Asia