Vulnerability, Exploitation and Abuse against Female Domestic Workers: The Case of Debre Markos City
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Date
2013
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
Domestic work is one of the oldest and most important occupations for millions of poor women
around the world. However, domestic workers commonly seem to be undervalued and poorly
regulated, and workers remain overworked, underpaid and unprotected. Nevertheless, studies on
the living and working conditions of domestic workers are limited, similarly; there is no enough
investigations in the area of the study except research works that has been conducted in relation
with gender and inequalities of women.
As the result, the central objective of the study is to examine the vulnerability, exploitation and
abuse against female domestic workers. The study was basically qualitative case study and has
been used both primary and secondary sources of data. The sampling technique was nonrandom
sampling technique which includes both snowball and purposive sampling. That is why
the data were collected through in-depth interview with fifteen female domestic workers and 10
home employers as well as focus group discussion made with 10 female home workers, key
informant interviews conducted with different concerned institutions and document analyses
were conducted.
The study has revealed that the living and working condition of domestic workers is not
progressing in line with the promotion and protection of the highest degree of physical, mental
and social well being of the workers. The finding also disclosed that physical, sexual, verbal and
economical violence are common on female domestic workers. The study also identified the basic
factors for vulnerability of domestic workers which includes the nature of employment contract,
culture of the employers, educational and family background of the workers, lack of awareness,
absence of labour division and spontaneous nature of works. On the other hand, both domestic
workers and employers were not effectively resolving the violence by using the legal institutions.
As the result of the nature of the working condition and vulnerability of the workers, their
working and living situation need due attention and legal protection from the government and
the whole community to avert the exploitation and abuse against female domestic workers in
relation to their jobs.
Key words: female domestic workers, domestic employers, paid workers, live-in workers,
vulnerability, exploitation, abuse and Debre Markos city.
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Keywords
female domestic workers, domestic employers, paid workers, live-in workers, vulnerability, exploitation, abuse and Debre Markos city.