Kadaga(C) in a meeting where she received a petition from domestic workers
Domestic workers under their umbrella body the Domestic Workers Association Uganda have petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Rebbeca Kadaga seeking parliament’s urgent intervention in passing the Employment Amendment bill.
The house helpers said that the 10th parliament should pass the Employment Amendment Bill before its term expires in May this year.
The petition was handed over to Kadaga on behalf of the domestic workers by the Association secretary Florence Athieno .
Athieno said that the domestic workers have not been legally recognized and regulated .
She said that the current provisions in the Employment Act 2006 cannot adequately promote and protect the rights of domestic workers because of the hidden and invisible nature of domestic work.
Athieno added that the existing Employment Act leaves out domestic workers to the effect that no permit is required for a person or company to recruit and place a domestic servant and non-manual laborers.
She explained that this has led to exploitation of woman and youth working as domestic workers in the country.
She reported that 14% of domestic workers are subjected to sexual harassment by their bosses or their master’s family members including facing unlawful terminations and dismissals from work whereby they are sent away from work in night hours.
She said that sexual abuse is one of the abuses faced by domestic workers and having this law will ensure their protection.
While receiving the petition from house helpers, Kadaga assured them that the Employment Amendment bill which is still before the legal committee will be passed before the 10th parliament end its work.
