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 2024 include: (1) surpassed the project target. Enlisted a total of 17,320 women domestic workers across 866 women domestic workers support groups; and (2) 13,233 domestic women workers (702 groups) completed life skills training and 11,534 (541 groups) domestic women workers completed occupational skills training including basic math and literacy skills. The training increased domestic worker’s confidence to claim their rights. It also increased their negotiation, communication, networking and organizational skills. Almost 100% of the trainees demonstrated knowledge of domestic workers’ rights and entitlements and are able to use this knowledge to negotiate their leave, salary, and other benefits with their employers more effectively.

• Proactive disclosure