Chile’s maids facing legal discrimination
Workers in rich Santiago communities banned from walking around area and forced to take special buses.
Chile is a country that boasts of having an egalitarian society, however, it is a veneer that is being lifted after reports of discrimination from the country’s domestic workers.
In one affluent area of Santiago, community by-laws justify forcing maids and gardeners to use a special bus for supposed “security” reasons, rather than allowing them to walk around the gated development where they work.
Nicolas Pav Ez, a lawyer in the Chilean capital, has taken on the case to defend the workers.
“We believe the constitutional right to presumption of innocence has been violated, not only is there discrimination but the presumption that servants are thieves, potential delinquents,” Pav Ez said.
Al Jazeera’s Lucia Newman reports from Santiago.