Life as a Child Domestic Worker in Haiti

Anne Hatløy

Article in The Journal of Haitian Studies, vol 11 no 1/2005

Abstract

Child domestic workers (CDW), also-called "Restavec", have been described as living under harsh conditions in Haiti. This article compares the CDWs with two other groups of children: children living away from parents, and children living together with their parents. The CDWs are characterised by a high work burden and insufficient education. However, this study shows that there are no striking differences between the CDWs and the other groups of children, in terms of health conditions, nutrition, sleep, and punishment. This underlines the importance of focusing on the conditions facing all children in Haiti, rather than singling out one group. Where domestic child workers are concerned, there is a particular need to focus on the provision of a proper education and the reduction of their workload.