Project profile — Securing Rights of Women Domestic Workers in Bangladesh

• Bangladesh (100.00%)

• Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutions:
Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutions (15170) (20.00%)
Ending violence against women and girls (15180) (20.00%)
• Labour Rights:
Labour Rights (16070) (30.00%)
Social Dialogue (16080) (30.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)

This project aims to improve the well-being of women domestic workers in Bangladesh. Approximately 1.8 million Bangladeshi women are employed as domestic workers in Dhaka, many facing gender-based violence on a regular basis. These women are disadvantaged due to lack of skills and specific vulnerabilities leading to routine exploitation and abuse, and lack of awareness of and protection for their rights. Project activities include: (1) providing women with skills training for formal job opportunities; (2) increasing women’s awareness of and protection of their rights; and (3) building the capacity of the Government of Bangladesh and its civil society partners to implement and monitor the Domestic Worker Protection and Welfare Policy.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) women domestic workers in Dhaka are empowered and organized to claim and defend their rights, particularly their right to live free from violence; and (2) Bangladeshi society, government and employers increasingly support the protection of rights of women domestic workers, recognizing domestic work as a formal profession.

Results achieved as of March 2025 include: (1) enrolled 20,820 women domestic workers across 866 women domestic workers support groups, surpassing the target of 16,000 participants. 18,490 participants completed life-skills training and 16,002 completed occupational skills training, including basic math and literacy skills; (2) sensitized 672 employers, engaged through different mechanisms such as housing societies, on the Domestic Worker Protection and Welfare Policy 2015.This increased their willingness to act in solidarity with domestic workers; (3) helped 84 domestic workers (47 women and 37 men), along with their spouses and family members, better understand the burden of unpaid care work; (4) revived national conversations about ratifying International Labour Organization Convention 189, which would offer more legal protection to domestic workers; and (5) significantly enhanced domestic workers’ ability to advocate for their rights and improve their working conditions by providing training. As a result, trained domestic workers reported gaining the ability to confidently engage with employers to successfully negotiate 1-day weekends and ensure timely payment of monthly wages.

• Proactive disclosure