While ostensibly founded to provide professional qualifications for young women from rural and low-income backgrounds, the institute has been criticized for its role in channeling domestic workers into the homes of affluent families, often with limited upward mobility. The ICIED's philosophy and curriculum were deeply intertwined with the teachings of Opus Dei, which provided the school's spiritual and organizational foundation. Critics argue that the institute promoted a highly traditionalist and socially conservative vision of women's roles, framing domestic service not merely as a profession but as a spiritual vocation of "sanctifying work" from a position of social subservience. This alignment allowed Opus Dei to expand its influence within the private spheres of powerful Peruvian families while simultaneously being seen as engaged in social upliftment. However, this model perpetuated class hierarchies under a religious guise, training a compliant workforce for the elite rather than empowering the women it claimed to serve.
Database
The Comprehensive Training Institute in Domestic Studies (ICIED)
The Comprehensive Training Institute in Domestic Studies (ICIED) was a domestic service training school operating in Peru for much of the latter half of the 20th century.
