Group decry upsurge in abuse of domestic workers in Nigeria

By Joy Baba – Yesufu

CEE-HOPE Foundation, a Non – Governmental Organisation (NGO) has decried the current rise in the abuse of domestic workers, unregulated conditions, and all forms of abuse while urging government to regulate their working conditions.
The group further lamented the use of underage persons as domestic worker despite existing laws like the Child Rights Act of Nigeria 2003 and conventions that criminalises child labour.
Founder of the group, Betty Abba stated this in Abuja, during a one-day seminar on the rights of domestic worker which is part of an ongoing campaign to highlight the abuse of domestic workers.
She said domestic staff work mostly in isolation, harsh and unregulated conditions, and are most times underpaid with many facing various forms of abuse ranging from physical, sexual, psychological and other forms of dehumanisation.
Abbah further said millions of underage persons are also in domestic work and facing multifaceted abuses despite the ratification of ILO Convention 189 of 2011 (the Convention on the Rights of Domestic Workers), domestic workers continue to suffer abuse, remain invisible and unrecognised.
“Many have lost their lives or suffered severe injuries while working as domestic care workers. We are spotlighting this issue and advocating for the unionization of domestic workers to ensure they can assert their rights and demand better treatment and pay.
“While many other domestic workers have missed educational opportunities and skill development, leaving them with little to look forward to in adulthood,” she said.
She also noted that there was the need for the unionisation of domestic workers in the country while engaging critical stakeholders in the labour unions, human rights and informal worker’s communities in various fora, and the utilisation of various forms of digital and creative media to push towards the target.