Domestic workers call on government to help curb abuse, unclear contracts

Labour commissioner Hellen Apiyo during a press conference in Mombasa.

They are calling for the ratification of International Labour Organization Conventions 189 and 190 to strengthen legal protection for domestic workers.

The appeal was made during a public participation forum at Kicodep Social Hall in Bombolulu.

Workers shared experiences of mistreatment both locally and abroad, citing unpaid overtime, harassment and weak contract enforcement.

Mwanamisha Matano, who previously worked abroad, said unclear contracts expose workers to abuse.

“The contract isn’t clear. There are long working hours with little rest, denial of food, failure to take workers to hospital when ill and sexual harassment. We want Convention 189 ratified because it will help not only those of us who returned, but also those still working abroad,” she said.

Aima Mohammed, a Bamburi resident who worked as a domestic worker abroad, said exploitation often begins before departure.

She said salaries promised in Kenya change upon arrival, while travel documents are confiscated at the airport.

Workers are left without identification, phones or money, and are subjected to degrading treatment, excessive labour and, in some cases, sexual harassment.

“The recruitment agents rarely intervene when abuse occurs,” she said.

Mohammed urged the government to treat the issue with urgency. She called for fair wages, access to justice and protection of migrant workers.

She also appealed for the return of bodies and belongings of workers who die abroad, alongside payment of earned wages.

She called on Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and Woman Representative Zamzam Mohamed to support the push.

Phoebe Nassir, a domestic worker from Nyali, said rights violations are widespread.

“We as domestic workers have been facing a lot of mistreatment. Our rights are not adhered to. We work overtime, face abuse and harassment and our contracts are not fully implemented. Sometimes underage children are also employed. We want the two conventions ratified so that we can get our rights,” she said.

Centre for Domestic Training and Development Executive Director Edith Murogo said domestic workers remain vulnerable because they work in private homes.

“Research shows that Kenya has more than two million domestic workers. That figure is old, but even then, it shows the scale of the challenge in terms of supervision and ensuring workers are safe and protected in their workplaces,” she said.

Murogo said homes are recognised as workplaces under labour laws and should be subject to proper oversight.

She said civil society organisations have pushed for reforms since the adoption of Convention 189 in 2011.

Oxfam representative Purity Jebor said employers account for most abuse cases in the sector.

She said employers were responsible for 89 per cent of reported gender-based violence cases involving domestic workers.

Labour Commissioner Hellen Apiyo said the forum was part of nationwide public consultations.

“These two conventions are very important because they address the rights of workers, especially those who are vulnerable or susceptible to violence and harassment at the workplace,” she said.

Apiyo said ratification would help close gaps in existing laws and improve enforcement.

She added that the process aligns with constitutional requirements on public participation and would strengthen protection for domestic workers at home and abroad.