6 practical ways to make the life of domestic workers better.
According to the International Labour Organization, there are about 53 million domestic workers worldwide and 83% of them are women.
Naturally, women opt for domestic work because of the money. And the prestige. I mean who wouldn’t want to hang out at a dinner party around acquaintances with six-figure salaries and brag about their very fulfilling job of cooking and cleaning, or even their high-paying job as a nanny. If the sarcasm in these sentences is not lost on you, it’s time to break the bias. At least, we can agree there’s a problem.
Now imagine for a second that you’re interviewing candidates for a nanny job. Would you be surprised to see an applicant with a master’s degree (say in child psychology)? Would it make you wonder why she wants this job? Would you ask her what she hopes to do next? If you feel so benevolent, would you recommend a ‘better job’? But if all ‘over-qualified’ people found a better job, who would you have taking care of your children?
The point is not that people need master’s degrees to engage in domestic work. It is that we have very low expectations of our domestic aids. And with the low expectations come unfavorable conditions of service. We harbor biases that enable the status quo of women not getting their due in the one sector they dominate. Despite the immense contribution of women in this sector, domestic work is often not seen as real work performed in an employment relationship. This is because both employers and society perceive it as a natural part of any woman’s work and not as a concrete service for the household. These biases, arising only because domestic work bears resemblance to the so-called traditional roles of women, have often meant that women in this sector are shortchanged.
Breaking the bias means making economic empowerment an attainable goal for women in this sector. It means ‘formalizing’ the informal sector and providing avenues that allow women in the domestic sector to live fulfilling lives worth bragging about without a dint of sarcasm.
So beyond mere platitudes and empty gestures of support, we can focus on action items that will bring lasting solutions to the challenges domestic workers face. Here are six things that can be done to improve the lives of domestic workers:
Fair wages
The important work that domestic workers provide is what allows a lot of families to go out and work and make income. But despite this valuable contribution, the wages of domestic workers remain extremely low. A report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that domestic workers are typically paid less than half of average wages. In addition to the undervaluation of domestic work by society, these low wages can be attributed to factors such as low bargaining power and the absence of labor protection. This means that employers have a duty to be fair and governments have to protect domestic workers with labor laws.
In India, for example, there are a few legislations that set a minimum wage for domestic workers. Several studies have shown that they are already yielding short-term benefits although there’s still a problem of enforcement. In Africa, South Africa has some of the best legislation protecting Domestic workers, barring implementation challenges. Liberia also has some legislation targeted at domestic workers as well, including a specified minimum wage. These are steps in the right direction for other developing countries to follow. The irony is actually that empowering women economically only stands to benefit these countries in the long run.
…employers have a duty to be fair…
Skill Development
Skill development programs for domestic workers play an important part in dispelling the notion that domestic work is not real work. It reinforces professionalism and improves work conditions and employer satisfaction. Several skills and vocational training programs can be developed to prepare workers in this sector for the tasks expected of them. Beyond specialized skills, domestic workers need core employability skills such as communication skills, creativity, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work well in teams.
In Liberia, Mipri Inc has pioneered a system that fills the void by providing skill development training for women and young people in this sector. But the enormity of the domestic sector dictates that governments and more of the private sector need to invest in the skill development of domestic workers.
Access to Financial Support
Access to information on retirement funds, funeral and life policies, family support services, loans and other financial information to domestic workers improves long-term planning and saving. Financial institutions should have policies that make it easier for people in the informal sector to get access to financial assistance. A report by the SME Forum revealed that although the informal sector contributes an average of 60% to the GDP of West African countries, less than 15% of people in this sector have access to banks as a source of financing.
In West Africa, some progress has been achieved with fintech companies who are working with banks and e-money operators in the region to build digital financial services to benefit the informal sector and close the gap. In Ghana, for example, e-money operators like MTN MoMo and Vodafone Cash are rolling out products that allow customers in the informal sector to open saving accounts, access loans, and benefit from insurance policies. But there’s still a lot more to be done in terms of educating informal sector workers on how to take advantage of these products and getting a lot of traditional banks to partner.
…the informal sector contributes an average of 60% to the GDP of West African countries, less than 15% of people in this sector have access to banks as a source of financing.
Source: SME Forum
Access to Free (or reasonable) Healthcare
Domestic work is demanding and often takes a physical toll on the body. Providing access to healthcare is a great way of ensuring the physical and mental well-being of domestic workers. This can range from affordable government-sponsored health insurance to an employer registering their domestic worker on private health insurance. Although private health insurance can be expensive, the employer can insist on making it a part of a domestic worker’s package and arrange a workable plan to pay for it.
Government Policy
The government can play a major role by making laws and policies that target domestic workers. Such laws and policies will systematically root out exploitation and offer protection to domestic workers. In most countries, labor laws target only people who have been formally employed, leaving the rather vast informal sector unregulated. Governments need to reconsider making laws and policies that target domestic workers and other informal sector workers directly, providing them with a legal framework within which to operate. This will offer protection to the domestic workers and also help the government monitor the sector in ways that will increase revenue mobilization.
As stated earlier, developing countries like India have already taken the lead in passing minimum wage legislation targeted at the informal sector. That’s the way to go!
National & Regional Campaigns
Raising awareness of the rights of domestic workers is another great way of decreasing exploitation and protecting vulnerable domestic workers. Sometimes all it takes is shining a light on someone’s story. NGOs can make it their mission to campaign for better conditions of service for informal sector women. In this regard, organizations such as Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing WIEGO and Avina Foundation are already doing some good work. But many more organizations can join in this advocacy.
This month, while you share inspiring stories with the hashtag #breakthebias, if you can also start doing or advocating for some of these things to be done in your country or community, you will be walking the talk of breaking the bias. And you will be making a difference in many lives.
– written by Jude Boateng
Recent Comments