Domestic Workers’ Union

Photo Credit AGIR RDC

"Together let's put an end to the violence against all domestic workers: Let's prevent, denounce, finance."

Our partners at AGIR RDC used a data driven approach to identify domestic workers as some of the most vulnerable people in DR Congo. They often come from poverty and powerlessness – such as children without family or young women without resources. It is common for them to not receive a regular income for their work or any clear definition of what their work entails. And many domestic workers suffer physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.

AGIR partners with Union des Femmes Domestiques du Congo (UFEDOC), a registered non-profit that works to provide information about the laws, both internationally and in Congo, that protect workers and children. They listen carefully and help workers understand their rights and help them organize into neighborhood support groups. They provide training so workers can improve their vocational skills, learn how to negotiate a contract, and know how to manage money to operate a small business. There are currently eight neighborhood support groups, seven of which have established savings and shared credit activities.

Union members who live with ongoing effects of trauma receive counseling and integrated care.