Mulu Tesfa Domestic Workers Association (MTDWA) with the support of ILO/FAIRWAY organized a two-day sensitization training on Domestic Workers Convention (C 189) targeting domestic workers including returnees. The training was organized on 06 and 07 August 2022 in Debre Markos City, East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region where 55 domestic workers living and working in the city participated. Among the 55 participants, 45 were returnee migrant workers who served as domestic workers in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Oman.

The two days training was facilitated by senior officials from Labour and Skills Office and Women, Children and Social Affairs Office of Debre Markos city. The training was organized with objectives to sensitize the domestic workers about the rights and welfare provisioned in Convention 189 and importance of its ratification for ensuring rights of domestic workers. During the training, participants understood the importance of the convention and raised questions to the facilitators about why the Ethiopian government is not considering ratification of this convention.

Likewise, facilitator from MTDWA sensitized the participants about importance of being organized under the association in order to protect own rights and welfare. The participants were also informed about the standard employment contract which was promoted by MTDWA collaborating with Labour and Skills Office and encouraged all domestic workers to enter into contract with employers before starting the work.

MTDWA already have membership of above 5,000 domestic workers with 34 registered associations across six different cities in Amhara region. The training organized is one among the different activities planned with the support of FAIRWAY. Through this collaboration, MTDWA will be mobilizing outreach workers and volunteers in six cities to organize domestic workers together with registering six new associations. It also has plans to build leadership and institutional capacity of city level associations and establish an effective help desk for grievances handling of domestic workers.