Abstract

In a comparative perspective Latin America is very interesting since the region has proven it possible to reduce poverty and inequality, in part through expansion of social protection. Hence, the so-called lost decade of the 1980s marked by military dictatorships and implementation of neoliberal policies has been succeeded by 15 years of social progress. However, this development has only occurred within social security, education and health care. When it comes to social care services Latin Americans still have to rely on the family or, if they can afford it, the market. This article analyses in some detail the history and contemporary use of migrant domestic workers in Argentina to provide care since this is the dominant way of solving the present care crisis. It demonstrates that though a legal framework for protection of these workers has been provided in this country allowing a massive regularisation, the actual situation shows the presence of many critical problems due to the resilience of traditional ideas about domestic work and inadequate public recognition of care as a social right.