PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF FEMALE DOMESTIC WORKERS: THE CASE OF BISHOFTU TOWN

Abstract

Domestic workers are one of the most vulnerable workers in the world, being often the targets of physical, verbal and sexual abuse and experiencing discrimination and marginalization with regard to pay, working conditions and legal rights. One of the sources of vulnerability of domestic workers has been lack of recognition as workers and thereby inadequate legal protection of their rights. The objective of this study is to assess the challenges and prospects encountered by female working in domestic households in Bishoftu town by taking three sample kebeles purposively; thereby by which 81 domestic workers were surveyed using convenience sampling. Besides, primary data had been used through interview, and direct observation. The finding this study suggested that the working conditions and available legal protection of domestic workers in the study area had little or no labor rights or protection: they rarely had clear contractual relations, worked long hours of work, had little or no privacy and were exposed to verbal, physical and sexual harassment. In addition, they often had low payment as compared to the workload they accomplish daily. Exclusion of female domestic workers from the labor law and also being ignored from the list of special groups in the national female policy of the country were the major factors that contributed to the vulnerability of domestic workers to violence of labor rights and social justices. The study makes recommendations for future research and policy that might improve conditions for domestic workers through formulating a policy that advocate for domestic workers rights, and also capable of creating awareness among domestic workers so as to break the silence on their major problems facing them on their day to day life.