DAR ES SALAAM: FOR many domestic workers in Tanzania, a weekly day off remains more a matter of employers’ goodwill than a guaranteed workplace right.
While some are allowed to visit relatives, attend religious services or simply rest often on Sundays, many others work every day without a break, carrying out demanding household responsibilities from dawn until late at night.
Domestic workers play a vital role in many households, cleaning homes, cooking meals, washing clothes and caring for children, enabling employers to focus on work and other commitments.
Yet despite their contribution, many still lack one of the most basic labour rights- days off.
Ms Nadhifa Juma, a resident of Kigamboni, says her domestic worker rarely gets a day off because she helps care for her young twin children.
“Because I have twins, it’s difficult to manage even a single day without assistance,” she says.
However, she adds that whenever the family travels during holidays, they take their domestic worker along so she can also relax and enjoy a change of environment.
Other employers are choosing a different approach by helping domestic workers acquire vocational skills alongside their household duties.
Ms Rehema Bosco, a professional tailor, says she decided to teach her domestic worker tailoring instead of allowing her to remain idle while her primary school-aged child is at school.
“I realised it was not just about getting help with household duties, but also about equipping her with a skill that can improve her future,” Rehema says.
Her domestic worker, Ms Sophia Abdalah, describes the opportunity as lifechanging. “In addition to earning my monthly salary of 50,000/-, I am learning tailoring free of charge.
These skills will help me start my own business one day,” she says.
Labour experts say such initiatives demonstrate how employers can contribute to domestic workers’ long-term economic independence while still respecting their rights as employees.
International labour standards also recognise the importance of rest for domestic workers.
Workers’ rights advocates say regular time off is essential not only for physical recovery but also for protecting workers’ dignity, mental health and productivity.
Director of Wadada Consultant, an organisation that trains domestic workers and links them with employment opportunities, Mr John Range, says domestic workers should have formal employment contracts that clearly spell out their rights, including weekly rest days.
“There are girls who get the opportunity to go out on Sundays to visit friends or relatives, but others do not get that chance because they work every day. They wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night without having personal time,” Mr Range says.
According to labour rights advocates, many domestic workers also continue to face written contracts and limited awareness of their legal rights.
Executive Director of Wote Sawa Tanzania, Ms Angela Benedicto, says the government has already established minimum wage guidelines for domestic workers and implementation is underway.
She explains that employers hiring live-out domestic workers are required to pay at least 160,000/- per month, while live-in domestic workers should receive a minimum monthly wage of 80,000/-.
“For more than 10 years, Wote Sawa has worked with the government and other stakeholders to strengthen the protection of children, women and vulnerable groups,” she says.
The organisation has reached more than 10,000 domestic workers and approximately 300,000 members of the public through awareness campaigns on labour rights and protection.
However, Ms Benedicto says significant challenges remain.
Many domestic workers lack National Identification Cards, limiting their access to essential services such as banking, while many others continue working without written employment contracts, leaving them vulnerable when disputes arise.
“Without employment contracts, many workers have little legal protection when problems occur at the workplace,” she says.
In 2011, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted the Domestic Workers Convention (No 189), which requires domestic workers to receive protections comparable to those enjoyed by other workers.
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Among its provisions is the right to at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest. The convention also states that live-in domestic workers should not be required to remain on duty during their designated rest periods.
Although Tanzania continues to strengthen labour protections, many domestic workers remain outside formal employment arrangements, making enforcement of these rights difficult.