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)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

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 2023 include: (1) established 866 women domestic workers support groups; (2) 10,087 domestic women workers completed life skills training; (3) 8,453 domestic women workers completed occupational skills training; and (4) almost 100% of the domestic women workers who received life skills training know of domestic workers’ rights and entitlements. this knowledge allows them to negotiate their leave, salary, and other benefits with their employers more effectively.

• Proactive disclosure