International Domestic Workers Day: ITUC-Africa Demands Urgent Action on Workers’ Rights 15 Years After ILO Convention 189
Oru Leonard
ABUJA, June 16, 2026 — The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has called on African governments, employers and the international community to take urgent steps to protect and promote the rights of domestic workers across the continent as the world marks the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.
In a statement issued on Tuesday to commemorate the International Day of Domestic Workers, ITUC-Africa described domestic workers as the backbone of households and economies, noting that millions of nannies, housekeepers, caregivers, cooks and gardeners continue to face exploitation, poor working conditions and inadequate legal protection.
The statement, signed by ITUC-Africa General Secretary, Akhator Joel Odigie, was themed: “Fifteen Years of C189: Honouring the Promise, Demanding the Rights.”
According to Odigie, Convention 189, adopted on June 16, 2011, was a landmark achievement that recognised domestic work as legitimate work and affirmed that domestic workers deserve the same rights and protections as all other workers.
“Fifteen years on, the promise of C189 remains far from fulfilled across our region,” Odigie said.
He noted that despite Africa being home to an estimated 12 to 15 million domestic workers—most of them women and girls—only a handful of African Union member states have ratified the convention, while implementation remains weak in many countries that have done so.
ITUC-Africa expressed concern that many domestic workers continue to operate without written contracts, regulated working hours, social protection, maternity benefits, or the ability to organise and bargain collectively.
The organisation also highlighted the persistent challenge of child domestic labour, particularly affecting young girls who are often denied access to education and exposed to abuse and exploitation.
To address these challenges, ITUC-Africa urged African governments to ratify and fully implement ILO Convention 189, enact legislation guaranteeing minimum wages, regulated working hours, rest periods, maternity protection and social security coverage for domestic workers.
The labour body further called for the protection of workers’ rights to organise and bargain collectively, the eradication of child domestic labour through stronger enforcement mechanisms and social protection programmes, and the formalisation of domestic work through written employment contracts and registration systems.
Additionally, ITUC-Africa appealed for stronger safeguards for migrant domestic workers, including the ratification and implementation of ILO Conventions 97 and 143, as well as bilateral labour agreements that prioritise workers’ rights and welfare.
“Domestic work is real work, and domestic workers are real workers. Their contributions must be recognised, valued and protected through concrete policy actions and legal reforms,” the statement stressed.
The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to supporting domestic workers and their unions across Africa in the ongoing struggle for dignity, decent work and social justice.
