Tanzania urged to ratify domestic workers’ convention

By MAUREEN ODUNGA

Considering the crucial role being played by domestic workers, Tanzania among other African countries, have been encouraged to ratify to Convention 189 that aims to protect the group and advocate for their challenges and rights.

Whereas ratification of the Convention in Europe and Asia has been steadily increasing, the picture apparently is not very appeasing in the African region, where only three countries have ratified it.
The countries are South Africa, Guinea and Mauritius. The Country Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Mr Wellington Chibebe, said this in Dar es Salaam yesterday at the opening of a three-day International Domestic Workers Conference for Africa Region.
The conference is organised by the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) in collaboration with the Conservation Hotels, Domestic Social Services and Consultancy Workers Union (CHODAWU).
According to Mr Chibebe, it is estimated that not less than 52.6 million men and women are employed as domestic workers across the world, where 10 per cent of that population come from Africa. “Domestic work remains a heavily female dominated sector, with 83 per cent of all domestic workers in the world being women, but despite their important role, they are among the most exploited and abused workers in the globe,” said Mr Wellington.
He pointed out that domestic workers often work 14 to 18 hours a day, throughout the week, for wages below the minimum amount and at times are locked within their workplace and subjected to physical and sexual violence. “Domestic workers are especially vulnerable to violence as they work and often live in private homes and therefore are isolated from their own families and support systems, where they become invisible.
Those working in informal arrangements are unprotected by regulations and not covered by social services, labour inspection services rarely reach them, even at times of serious violations of their right to work,” he said. The Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA), Dr Yahaya Msigwa, identified the dire need for the country to ratify the convention.
“Domestic work is as important as any other kind of work, therefore exploiting this group is a violation of their human rights … domestic workers face violations such as not being paid on time and at times not paid at all, sexual harassment, unwanted pregnancies and diseases such as HIV and AIDS,” noted Mr Msigwa. Having the convention domesticated in the country’s laws will help domestic workers access their rights and overcome their hurdles