About Izwi
Izwi Domestic Worker Alliance is a network of domestic workers in Johannesburg. We provide:
Advice
Information and advice on employment issues, and assistance with individual cases.
Events
Training programmes, events, and social activities.
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Media
Collecting and sharing the stories and experiences of domestic workers.
Izwi was started by a group of domestic workers who wanted to change the way they are treated by employers, and by society in general.
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In order to break down the isolation and vulnerability that domestic workers face, we are building a support network of individual workers, neighbourhood groups, and partner organisations. A steering committee, elected from amongst the members, oversees Izwi's growth and direction. Read on to see what Izwi has done so far.
Context
Domestic workers number nearly 1 million in South Africa -- more than the labour force of agriculture or mining. However, they are barely visible in labour movements, civil society, and media coverage.
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Employed by individuals in private homes, their work arrangements are often precarious and informal, leaving them isolated and vulnerable to abuse.
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Exploitation ranges from poor working conditions, illegal hours, and below-minimum wages, through to physical, verbal, sexual and racial abuse — all behind closed doors of private residences, which are generally immune to regulatory oversight.
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Globally, there is a growing movement to shed light on abuse and to professionalise the domestic worker industry. In South Africa, Izwi and its partners are standing with domestic workers so that their voices will be heard.
Izwi to date
Since its launch in 2018, Izwi has:
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Built an extensive network of female domestic workers for labour rights education and support.
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Supported over nearly 1000 individual cases of mistreated workers, and faciliated over R2 million in payments from workers to employers.
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Developed an active WhatsApp platform for mobilising, educating and supporting workers.
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Launched neighbourhood groups throughout Gauteng that provide peer support, trainings, and social activities.
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Hosted monthly meetings to respond to individual concerns, and to discuss growth and advocacy issues.
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Triggered extensive media coverage on domestic workers challenges, allowing workers to share their stories.
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Conducted published research on a range of issues affecting domestic workers in South Africa.
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Co-founded and coordinated the One Wage Campaign - a civil society campaign against the exclusion of domestic, farm and EPWP workers from the national minimum wage.
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Successfully advocated for domestic workers access to TERS wage support during Covid-19 pandemic
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Provided food assistance and rent support to members impacted by Covid-19 economic crisis.s
Partners
Some of our core partners include:
Casual Workers Advice Office
Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe
Goethe Institute, South Africa
Hlanganisa Institute for Development in Southern Africa
Lawyers Against Abuse (LvA)
Lawyers for Human Rights
Luma Law
Migrant Workers Union of South Africa
Migrants for Advocacy Group in SA (MAGSA)
Outreach Foundation
Sexual Harrassment Education Project
Simunye Women Workers Forum
Socio-Economic Rights Initiative (SERI-SA)
Solidarity Centre
South African Domestic and Service Allied Workers
Union (SADSAWU)
United Domestic Workers of South Africa (UDWOSA)
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