The training seeks to emphasise why knowledge of rights and professional skills is essential to improving domestic workers' working lives.
Dar es Salaam. The International Labour Organization (ILO), together with WoteSawa and the Trade Union of Domestic, Security, Hotel, Social Services and Consultancy Workers which is popularly known by its Kiswahili acronym as Chodawu, has rolled out a comprehensive training programme for around 100 domestic workers in Mwanza Region.
The training seeks to emphasise why knowledge of rights and professional skills is essential to improving domestic workers' working lives.
The training, conducted under the Project on Enhancing Recognition and Working Conditions for Domestic Workers in Tanzania as Service Providers, focuses on empowering workers with the tools they need to safeguard their welfare, negotiate fair treatment, and raise standards across the sector.
Opening the session, the project’s coordinator from the ILO East Africa Office, Chiku Semfuko, said that domestic workers are fully recognised under national labour laws and must be afforded the same protections as any other employees.
“Although the laws exist, many domestic workers are still unaware of the protections available to them. These trainings are crucial as they help workers understand both their rights and their responsibilities,” Semfuko said. She said that domestic work remains demanding and undervalued, yet it underpins the functioning of countless households. “We rely on domestic workers for childcare, cleaning, security and support. Respecting their contribution means ensuring they work in fair and decent conditions.”
Semfuko underscored the importance of challenging long-standing prejudices that portray domestic workers as untrustworthy or unworthy of legal protections, noting that such attitudes fuel exploitation.
The Head of the Legal Department at Chodawu's National Office, Asteria Gerald said the union has been expanding its training across the country. She highlighted a recent programme in Arusha that produced peer educators—domestic workers equipped to support and inform their colleagues about workplace rights from within their communities.
“It is not effective to speak on behalf of workers without involving them. Peer educators allow domestic workers to lead the change themselves,” Gerald said. She added that Chodawu is also partnering with VETA colleges to strengthen workers’ professional skills, enabling them to gain recognition as skilled service providers within the labour market.
“This is our first extensive training in Mwanza, and we hope it will help dismantle negative stereotypes while building a confident and informed workforce,” she said.
WoteSawa’s Mwanza Director, Angela Benedicto, noted that participants include both live-in and live-out domestic workers. She said the training aims to ensure workers fully understand employment contracts, labour laws, and mechanisms available for reporting abuse or unfair treatment.
“By equipping workers with this knowledge, we promote decent work, prevent violence in the household workplace, and support healthier relationships between employers and employees grounded in mutual respect,” she said.
A domestic worker from Mwanza, Elizabeth John, said many in the sector still experience delayed or withheld salaries and other forms of mistreatment. She expressed hope that the training will enable workers to advocate more confidently for their rights
