Africa-Press – Tanzania. MINISTER of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations), Deus Sanga, has officially launched the National Strategy for Promoting Decent Work for Domestic Workers 2025/26–2029/2030 aimed at ensuring domestic workers receive protection, recognition, and access to opportunities they deserve in order to advance decent work.
In addition to launching the Strategy, Minister Sanga also unveiled the third phase of the Decent Work Country Programme for 2025/26–2029/2030.
Speaking yesterday in Dodoma during the launch of the Programme and the Strategy, Sanga said the programme aims to strengthen social dialogue and solidarity among the government, employers, and workers.
He noted that the Strategy—being the first of its kind to be launched in Africa—will ensure domestic workers receive protection and access to the opportunities they deserve, thereby promoting decent work.
“I extend my gratitude to the International Labour Organization (ILO) for its continued technical and financial support that has enabled the launch of this Strategy and the Decent Work Country Programme,” he said.
Minister Sanga added that Tanzania has been a member of the ILO since early 1960 and has ratified 37 of its conventions, including the eight fundamental conventions.
“The government continues to implement these conventions through policies, laws, and regulations issued by various authorities, with the aim of strengthening and promoting compliance with decent work principles in the country,” he said.
For her part, the Commissioner for Labour, Suzan Mkangwa, said the government will implement the Strategy and Programme by ensuring that all workers in the country enjoy decent work.
“Today we have launched a strategy to support domestic workers aimed at strengthening decent work within this group. It is a major step for the country toward ratifying ILO Convention No. 189.
“Within the Strategy, there are various measures that will help oversee the implementation of laws in the area of domestic work.
“The country is at different stages of ratifying the ILO Convention concerning Domestic Workers. As a government, we have already developed regulations in this area as part of preparations for ratifying the Convention,” she said.
Meanwhile, the East Africa Director of the International Labour Organization, Caroline Mugala, said decent work is about dignity, and it is important for ILO member states to ensure workers have decent jobs that guarantee workplace rights, social protection, and dialogue in workplaces.
“It is true that the project on Promoting Recognition and Improving Working Conditions for Domestic Workers is coming to an end, but the work continues. Every project has a beginning and an end, but the work initiated by this project is just beginning.
“As the work moves forward, we see progress toward ratification of the ILO Convention, and through these efforts, we expect others to come and learn from the programme’s success,” she emphasized.
Elizabeth Rafael, a domestic worker who graduated from VETA, said the launched Strategy will help domestic workers gain protection and secure written employment contracts, unlike in the past when agreements were mostly verbal, and will serve as a catalyst for the government to ratify ILO Convention No. 189.
“We are very happy to be here for the launch of this programme, which will be a great support to us,” she said.
