This archive report was first published on 8 July 2021.
On July 8, 2021, a survey conducted in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa shed light on the struggles of domestic workers, who are often among the lowest earners in most nations and receive minimal protection from legislation.
The survey, produced by South African on-demand home services provider Sweepsouth, found that domestic workers in Kenya earn an average of Sh8,522 per month, despite the country's enforcement of a minimum wage for domestic workers.
However, respondents to the survey reported that they have not met and are still below the threshold, suggesting that better enforcement is needed.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, domestic worker wages are unregulated, with the national minimum wage raised from NGN 18,000 to NGN 30,000 in 2019.
According to the report, domestic workers in Nigeria also fall significantly below the latest legislated minimum wage for other workers.
The impact of COVID-19 on the livelihoods of domestic workers has been significant, with Kenya and Nigeria showing that about 2 in 5 domestic workers lost their job due to the pandemic, compared to 1 in 5 in South Africa.
Additionally, the report reveals that almost half of the households in South Africa and Nigeria have additional sources of income, while Nigerian domestic workers showed an even split between cleaning, cooking, and child-care with 1 in 2 reporting one of these additional responsibilities as part of their primary role.
While South Africa and Kenya have minimum wage legislation protecting domestic workers, the report indicates that this is often not adhered to, and without better implementation and enforcement, domestic workers will not see much benefit.
The report recommends that governments work with tech partners to make registration quick and easy for employers and employees, and provide incentives for compliance, such as tax incentives and easy sign-up stations at locations easily accessible to domestic workers and their employers.
