There is need for society and Government to respect domestic workers and ensure better working conditions.
The call was made by Ms Margaret Wanjiku from Youth Alive Kenya Organization that has been working to empower youth, women and persons living with disability at grassroot level.
Speaking during a workshop in Nakuru on the Project ‘The Time to Care’, Wanjiku noted that they have been able to meet domestic workers, care workers to empower them on their role in society.
According to her, the project aims to ensure care infrastructure for women and girls as well as improved gender Equity.
“Through this project that we are implementing, we want to ensure improved gender equity but also care infrastructure for women and girls in society,” she stated.
During the workshop, participants from domestic workers sector were taken through the County Budget Making Process.
Ms Wanjiku noting that it is key for the participants to understand the budget making process and how they can use the knowledge towards ensuring their rights as domestic workers and other stakeholders are considered in the budget.
She revealed that a recent research by Oxfam has shown that women spend 5 hours on domestic chores compared to one hour by men.
This has negatively impacted on women’s participation in matters such as budget process and development hence their interests are not considered.
However, with such trainings and empowerment, then women and girls as well as PWDs can actively participate in pushing for the realization of their rights.
The project focuses on the 5Rs approach which include:
1. Recognize: That women should be recognized and the domestic work that they do should also be respected.
2. Reduce: Reduce hours that they spend on domestic work through better services.
3. Represent: That Domestic workers should now be able to air their concerns and interests to the duty bearers. Their voice should be represented and heard.
4. Redistribute: That domestic work can also be distributed and done by male counterparts. It should not just be left to women.
5. Reward: That Government and duty bearers have a role to ensure domestic workers too can be rewarded for their work so that they can feel appreciated.
Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Education Institutions and Hospital Workers Nakuru Branch Secretary Susan Wanjiru lauded the training by YouthAlive Kenya Organization.
According to her, there is need for more sensitization on the rights of domestic workers.
She pointed out that the ‘Time To Care’ Project under the Funding of Canadian Government will go a long way in ensuring capacity building for domestic workers.
“The domestic workers need to understand their rights. Then from there we shall start to engage the employers so that the employers can also ensure decent work environment and welfare including better pay and that Health insurance and NSFF remittance,” she stated.
Mary Aleso- a domestic worker in Nakuru welcomed the training on budget process.
She says it has opened her eyes on matters budget and the need for her involvement.
Ms Aleso at the same time called on government to ensure issues of salaries for domestic workers is looked at so that they can get a good pay.
“I count myself privileged to have attended this session by YouthAlive in partnership with our union. I just appeal to Government to relook at our salaries because as it stands now we are still being marginalized,” she stated.