A Million Dollar Question: What Will it Take to Bridge the Gap Between Legal Rights and Workplace Realities?

Abstract

It may be surprising that African countries stand out (with some exceptions) for giving domestic workers basic coverage under the labour law. Many countries worldwide have failed to meet this most basic requirement, and labour law protections are the critical foundation for activating the social and legal changes that are needed to professionalise the sector. Unfortunately, legal protections are not enough. A recent study on migrant domestic workers in the SADC region showed rampant informality across countries, resulting in a dearth of labour law enforcement (ILO, 2022). It is common knowledge that domestic work is under the radar, and employers are not held accountable to the law.