Forum highlights domestic work challenges

At a sub-regional forum on domestic work held in Senegal's capital on Monday, October 19, the International Labour Organization (ILO) discussed the difficulties of regulating domestic work, especially in Africa. The event brought attention to the lack of formal structures in the sector.

Informal employment dominates the sector

Samira Daoud, director of the technical support team for decent work at the ILO, noted that more than 80 % of domestic workers in Africa operate in the informal sector. While the exact geographic scope of this estimate is not yet confirmed, data from several African countries show the challenges of regulating these jobs.

Benin shows high informal employment

In Benin, according to the ILO, 98.4 % of domestic jobs were informal in 2025. The sector represented 1.4 % of total employment and 2.3 % of female employment. Preparatory data from the TRADOM initiative, launched by the organization in February 2025, also indicate that most contracts are verbal.

Kenya's domestic workers face similar issues

In Kenya, an evaluation published by the ILO in February 2026 notes similar difficulties among domestic workers who assist people with disabilities. Seven out of ten work on the basis of oral agreements, less than one in ten has a written contract, and more than half have no form of social protection.

South Africa provides a model

South Africa shows that a protection mechanism can include this category of workers. Since 2003, these workers have been covered by the unemployment insurance fund (Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF), according to the ILO. However, the existence of such a mechanism does not ensure that all affected workers actually have access to the rights provided.

ILO standards for domestic workers

At the international level, the ILO text on the rights of domestic workers sets specific standards in terms of pay, rest, and social protection. Adopted on June 16, 2011, and entered into force on September 5, 2013, it has been ratified by 40 countries.

Domestic work's role in employment

These commitments concern a sector that plays an important role in female employment. According to the ILO estimates published in June 2025, about 9.6 million people over the age of 15 perform domestic jobs in Africa. These jobs also represented 15.8 % of female workers on the continent, according to statistical estimates from 2019.

Gaps in implementation remain

However, the ratification of a text and the existence of national rules do not guarantee, on their own, effective access to rights. In Kenya, an ILO study published in December 2025, conducted among 331 domestic workers and 70 employers in the field of assisting people with disabilities, notes the low use of written contracts and the gaps in social coverage.