E/CN.4/2004/76 page 6 abuses and violations experienced by migrants performing domestic work. She has also considered it fitting, on the basis of her experience and the information received, to focus principally on the situation of female domestic workers. 12. “Domestic worker” (also “household worker” or “domestic help”) means a person employed part-time or full-time in a household or private residence, in any of the following duties: cook, servant, waiter or waitress, butler, nurse, childminder, carer for elderly or disabled persons, personal servant, barman or barmaid, chauffeur, porter, gardener, washerman or washerwoman, guard. 13. According to the ILO definition,2 the work of domestic staff includes: sweeping or vacuuming; cleaning or washing and waxing floors, doors, windows, furniture and various objects; washing, ironing and mending bed and table linen and other household linen for personal use; washing dishes; preparing, cooking and serving meals and drinks; buying food and various articles for domestic use; performing related tasks; supervising other workers. The majority of migrant domestic workers live in their employer’s house and only a minority work independently in more than one household. This report is devoted to analysing the situation of migrant domestic workers living in their employer’s house, because of their particular vulnerability and the increasing number of female migrants in this situation. 14. The Special Rapporteur observes that there is an increasingly pronounced need for domestic help in developed countries owing to demographic and social factors. Native citizens often refuse to do this type of work. In some wealthy countries the demand for migrant domestic workers has grown considerably in recent years, in proportion to economic development.3 During her visits to Spain and Canada, the Special Rapporteur observed that such workers were present in large numbers, and were in increasing demand. Similarly, in her visits to Ecuador, Mexico, the Philippines and Morocco, she received information about the growing numbers of women who emigrate to Europe, the United States, Japan, the Gulf States, Jordan, Lebanon, Chile, Costa Rica and other countries to work as domestic servants. The profiles of these workers are very different; many have husbands and children, while others are very young and see this type of work as the only decent employment option. Some are highly educated, others have a basic education, others still are illiterate. Common to all is the desire and hope to find a decent means of improving their own and their families’ living conditions. 15. The Special Rapporteur notes that one of the principal obstacles to detailed analysis and more effective protection of the rights of migrant domestic workers is the difficulty of quantifying the phenomenon. The under-registration of such workers is due to various factors. The first and most obvious is the illegal immigrant status of many migrant domestic workers. Furthermore, many of the countries of origin of major migratory flows do not keep a register of their nationals employed abroad as domestic workers,4 while in the countries of destination the law does not always require people applying for work permits to specify the occupation or economic activity in which they will be employed.5 Even in labour agreements domestic workers are sometimes simply included in the category of “temporary workers”. For temporary jobs in some specific occupations, such as domestic work, the legislation of some countries does not require a work permit. All these factors make it difficult to quantify the numbers of foreigners working in the sector.