Marilu Padua

Marilu Padua (full name María de la Luz Padua), is a Mexican human rights activist and Secretary for Gender and Human Rights of the National Union of Domestic Workers, an organization which aims to defend the rights of domestic workers in Mexico. Padua is responsible for the placement program at the union. She led the "Voices of defenders" campaign, which created press releases and other media to pressure governments to address the COVID-19 pandemic with human rights in mind.

Early life Padua was born a middle child.

COVID-19 Pandemic Activism During the COVID-19 pandemic, Padua sought to draw attention to the challenges that domestic workers faced and the unfair or dangerous practices that their employers implemented. Among her concerns were the lack of personal protective equipment to protect against the chemicals used in disinfection and cleaning, a lack of job security (many lost their jobs in 2020, including both Padua and her husband),