Deprivation of domestic workers

The domestic workers work in our homes and do not have any fixed working hours and they receive a very meagre salary. They perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to housekeeping, including cleaning and household maintenance. They are considered so unworthy of legal protections that basic workers' rights are not extended to them. Many face slave-like working conditions also.

Domestic work is however one of the world's oldest occupation. Historically there are some socio-economic and cultural factors that encourage or compel children and women to search domestic jobs where there are no clear terms of employment. ILO reports that there are 50 million domestic workers all over the world and most of them are children and women. In Bangladesh, there are about half a million domestic workers. Bangladesh is also one of the few countries in the world citizens of which are engaged in domestic works in overseas. Therefore, international labour standard for domestic workers is essential for them who work at home and abroad. Until recently, domestic workers were excluded from international labour laws which is symbolic of unequal treatment and discrimination towards domestic workers. There are child domestic aids also in Bangladesh who are employed by their employers to perform household works that suit adult workers. They are equally deprived of their basic rights. I hope the government will formulate regulatory policies on the domestic aids so that they are given their basic rights as citizens of the country. At the same time the government and media should create awareness so that the common people see householder workers are looked upon with dignity and sympathy.

Rumana Sharmeen

Dhaka University