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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The National Assembly has been charged to speed up the passage of the domestic workers right bill to curb maltreatment and the recruitment of underage house helps.
The call was made by the Centre for Children’s Health Education (CEE-HOPE) and the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), during a consultative meeting in Abuja.
CEE-HOPE Executive Director, Betty Abbah, complained about the lack of unionism which had contributed to violence and sexual exploitation of domestic workers.
Abbah added that the clamour was anchored on the recent passage of the Informal Sector Employment (Regulation) Bill 2025 by the Senate, which seeks to formalise domestic work and regulate employment in the informal sector.
According to her, domestic workers are one of the most violated people in Nigeria, lamenting that many suffer abuse without justice. She recalled the case of Joy, a domestic worker from Benue State, who was allegedly killed by her employers during the COVID-19 lockdown after being locked up, starved and beaten. He said investigations later confirmed her death was a homicide.
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Abbah said many of such incidents could have been prevented if domestic workers had unions to protect their rights, adding that Nigeria, despite having one of the highest numbers of domestic workers in Africa, lacks a functional domestic workers’ union.
She cited countries such as Ghana, Kenya and South Africa where domestic workers enjoy protection through unionisation and referenced the International Labour Organisation Convention 189, which guarantees decent work conditions and the right to form unions.
She said: “In Nigeria, many domestic workers work round the clock, including children as young as seven. Unionisation will significantly reduce abuse and exploitation.”
On her part, NAWOJ Vice President, Zone D, Chizoba Ogbeche, noted that most maltreatment of domestic workers was carried out by women. Beyond legislation, Ogbeche said, mind-set change and sustained media follow-up were critical, noting that many abuse cases collapsed due to a lack of investigation and interference.
She also condemned the practice of hiring domestic workers through agencies and paying the agencies directly, describing it as exploitation and modern-day slavery.
