Her Labour, Her Voice!

On 6 March, in celebration of International Women’s Day, FES and the German Embassy in Addis Ababa hosted a vital roundtable discussion titled "Her Labour, Her Voice: Empowering the Rights of Ethiopian Domestic Workers". The event aimed to shed light on the critical issues faced by Ethiopian domestic workers both within the country and abroad.

Domestic work remains one of the largest sectors of female employment in Ethiopia, with women comprising about 65% of the workforce. However, it continues to be largely unregulated, unprotected, and undervalued. Despite their significant contributions to households and the broader economy, domestic workers are excluded from formal labor protections, leaving them without basic rights such as minimum wage, social security, or grievance mechanisms. Additionally, while Ethiopia has signed several bilateral agreements with Gulf States to address the plight of domestic workers abroad, the development of these agreements often lack transparency, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitative practices in host countries.

During the roundtable, representatives from Andinet Ethiopian Domestic Workers Union, the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU), Addis Ababa University (AAU), Comunità Volontari per il Mondo (CVM) Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the Ministry of Labour and Skills (MoLS), and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) gathered to discuss the ongoing work being done and to reaffirm their commitment to improving the rights and protections of domestic workers.

Key goals discussed during the meeting included the inclusion of domestic workers under Ethiopia’s labor law, the ratification of ILO Convention 189, and the development of standardized employment contracts. The establishment of a national digital database to monitor domestic workers and recruitment practices was also highlighted as a critical step toward greater accountability and transparency.

This gathering marked an important step forward in advocating for the recognition and protection of domestic workers in Ethiopia. By fostering collaboration among various stakeholders, the commitment to advancing labor rights and ensuring that domestic workers are no longer invisible within the legal framework was reinforced. As momentum builds toward legislative change, continued dialogue and concrete action will be crucial to transforming these commitments into lasting improvements for Ethiopia’s domestic workforce.