Société

Female Domestic Workers : Countering Unfounded Accusations, Name-calling, Abuses

Par Kimeng Hilton
30 nov. 2023 17:21
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The “Association pour le developpement des assistants de maison,” ASDAM, on November 29, 2023 in Yaounde held a public debate on the issue.

As part of this year’s campaign on 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, the “Association pour le developpement des assistants de maison,” ASDAM, on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 in Yaounde held a public debate on the theme, “That Decent Work And Decent Life Will Become Reality For Domestic Workers In Cameroon.”

Investing To Protect Girls, Women
With the theme, “Unite! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Girls and Women,” the campaign is part of the International Day to End Violence Against Women. Organised worldwide by the United Nations Women, UN Women, the campaign requests governments, institutions, and citizens to show how much the world cares about ending violence against women and girls. The campaign is led by civil society groups around the world and is supported by the United Nations through the Secretary General’s initiative, “Unite by 2030 to End Violence Against Women.”

Strange, Unfounded Accusations
Mrs. Claudine Lucie Mboudou Mballa, President of “Association pour le developpement des assistants de maison,” said female domestic workers in Cameroon are victims of different forms of violence. These include unfounded accusations which label female domestic workers as husband snatchers, accomplices to burglars, thieves of home items, sorcerers …. They are also accused of maltreating the children they are employed to take care of.
“All these accusations are strange to us. Employers use them as pretext to unlawfully fire their domestic workers without bothering about their future or wellbeing,” Mrs. Mboudou Mballa said.

Domestic Workers’ Complaints
On their part, female domestic workers complain of the non-respect of their intimacy, lack of social protection, no health protection, no work place security, unlawful termination of work… “As part of the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women, and with the support of CARE International, we held a public debate to deny all these unfounded accusations. And to inform the public and employers that such allegations violate the rights of female domestic workers,” Mrs. Mballa noted.

Social Protection, Please!
“We use this opportunity to urge employers of female domestic workers who have not done so to register them with the National Social Insurance Fund. To enable domestic workers to enjoy their rights and prepare for their future. In terms of old age invalidity and death pensions, protection against domestic accidents and family allowances,” ASDAM’s leader underscored.

Tackling Rights Abuses
According to Ngulle Meyanga Elie, the Regional Delegate of Women’s Empowerment and the Family for the Centre, domestic workers are not a special group of workers. “Government is committed to fight violence committed against women as part of the 16 days of activism - wherever such violence takes place.”

Victims Of Several Abuses
“The testimonies we receive show that female domestic workers are victims of several abuses in their places of work. There is need for sensitization amongst employers and victims so that the victims are able to prevent such more violence in future. After our discussions, we came out with some resolutions. We believe that at the end of the 16 days of activism, the recommendations will be submitted to the authorities. Hoping that solutions will be found to them,” Ngulle Meyanga Elie disclosed.

Gradual Change
“Society cannot change overnight, but continuous sensitization could do the trick, eventually. We will also sensitize partners who have joined the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family in the campaign,” Ngulle said.

Ignorance, Bad Faith
A participant in the debate and an employer of domestic workers said domestic labour is not well understood by many people, and little communication is done about it. “It is informal sector, no doubt, but many domestic workers do not know what the law says about their work. Probably because of the absence of sensitization. As a result, the employers end up doing whatever they want. Very few employers know that they should register their domestic workers with the National Social Insurance Fund, CNPS. Or encourage their workers to do so. Just like many employers do not know they should respect the minimum wage in paying their domestic workers. Though they might put forward poverty as justification,” the female employer of domestic workers noted.

Treat Them With Dignity
“How many employers understand that they should treat their domestic workers with dignity because they are also human beings? This is why many employers of labour in general need to be sensitized and educated. Domestic workers serve in others’ homes are always in a position of weakness, compared to their employers. Many employers take advantage of this to abuse the rights of their workers. So much work remains to be done on this,” she explained.

Like All Other Workers
“Female domestic workers are considered as all other workers by the National Social Insurance Fund, CNPS and the law. When they are fired from their work, they could receive retirement allowance if they served at least 15 years; and when they are 60 years old. This could happen earlier as from 50 years of age if their requests are granted by the General Manager of the National Social Insurance Fund,”