Towards a More Recognized, Skilled, Protected and Inclusive Domestic Work Sector
Domestic work is an essential part of Kenya’s economy and the everyday functioning of households. Yet, for many years, the diversity, skills, responsibilities and risks associated with domestic work have not always been adequately reflected in how the sector is classified, valued and regulated.
That conversation is now gaining important momentum.
Under the WINGS – Work Inclusion, Growth & Sustainability Project, funded by the Italian Cooperation, Fondazione L’Albero della Vita (FADV), through the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), participated in the General Wages Council meeting held in Naivasha, Kenya from 16–18 September 2026.
The meeting brought together social partners and key stakeholders to consider the future of Kenya’s wage-setting and labour protection framework, including the working conditions and welfare of domestic workers. The deliberations culminated in 17 resolutions covering occupational classification, emerging forms of work, wage differentiation, inspection and enforcement, work-injury protection, recruitment, employer responsibilities, awareness, skills development, social protection, social dialogue and implementation.
These resolutions provide an important basis for rethinking how domestic work is recognised and supported within Kenya’s labour market.
Moving Beyond the Generic “House Servant”
One of the most significant areas of the resolutions is the proposed review of occupational classifications under the Regulation of Wages (General) Order.
The General Wages Council resolved that the Order should be comprehensively reviewed and modernised so that occupational titles, classifications and the wage-setting framework better reflect current labour-market realities. The review is expected to consider occupations that should be retained, updated, renamed, consolidated, reclassified, replaced or removed, while recognising that an occupation should not be considered obsolete simply because its traditional title or mode of work has changed.
For domestic work, this has particular significance.
The resolutions call for the sector to move beyond the generic classification of “house servant” and recognise the diversity of roles undertaken within households. These include general domestic work, housekeeping and cleaning, cooking, laundry, childcare, care work, gardening, driving, household security, and supervisory or household-management functions.
This is more than a change in terminology. Occupational classification influences how work is understood, valued and matched to skills, responsibilities and remuneration.
Recognising the diversity of domestic work creates space for a more accurate understanding of the skills and responsibilities required across the sector.
Towards Fairer and More Skills-Based Remuneration
The resolutions also provide for appropriate occupational and wage differentiation based on objective factors including skills, qualifications, responsibility, experience, complexity of work, working conditions, working time and occupational risk.
The proposed framework specifically identifies distinctions that may be relevant between general domestic workers and skilled or specialised domestic workers, caregivers, drivers, cooks or domestic chefs, and household supervisors or managers.
This direction is important in a labour market where domestic work encompasses increasingly diverse responsibilities.
It also reinforces the value of skills development and certification. The Council resolved that relevant institutions should promote recognised skills development and certification for domestic workers in areas including housekeeping, food preparation, childcare, elderly care, disability support, first aid, occupational safety and health, and household management.
For WINGS, this connection between skills, recognition, employability and decent work is central to creating more sustainable pathways for women, youth and persons with disabilities.
Protection Must Accompany Recognition
Better classification and remuneration must be accompanied by stronger protection.
The resolutions call for appropriate mechanisms for the inspection, regulation and enforcement of minimum wages and minimum conditions of employment in domestic work, while recognising the constitutional and legal protections relating to privacy and entry into private premises.
They also call for a review of barriers affecting effective access to work-injury protection for domestic workers and their employers.
Further measures include reviewing and simplifying the regulation of employment and recruitment bureaus involved in the recruitment and placement of domestic workers, while strengthening accountability and protection.
Importantly, the Council also resolved that the Ministry, in consultation with social partners, should develop guidelines and/or a code of conduct for employers of domestic workers to clarify the rights and responsibilities of employers and workers and promote compliance with applicable employment and labour standards.
Building Awareness, Social Protection and Representation
Decent work also depends on people knowing their rights and responsibilities.
The resolutions provide for a structured awareness and sensitisation programme for domestic workers and employers on applicable Kenyan employment and labour laws and policies, taking into account the principles of ILO Convention No. 189.
They further call for measures to strengthen the effective inclusion of domestic workers in applicable social security and social protection arrangements, including maternity protection.
And importantly, domestic workers should not simply be subjects of policy discussions—they should have a meaningful voice in shaping them.
The Council resolved to promote meaningful participation of domestic workers’ organisations, employers and employers’ organisations, Government, employment and recruitment agencies, training institutions and other relevant stakeholders in wage determination and policy development affecting the sector.
From Resolution to Implementation
The adoption of the resolutions is an important step. But the real measure of progress will be what happens next.
The General Wages Council resolved that its Secretariat should prepare an implementation matrix setting out agreed activities, outputs, timelines, responsible institutions or officers and reporting milestones. Matters requiring legislative, regulatory or policy action are to proceed through the applicable Government processes, with progress reported to the Council at a subsequent meeting.
A Technical Working Group will undertake the technical review of occupational classifications, including existing and emerging occupations as well as domestic and care work. Its findings and recommendations will inform subsequent consideration of the wage-setting methodology and appropriate minimum wage rates under the General Wages Order.
This creates an important bridge between policy intent and practical implementation.
WINGS: Connecting Skills, Inclusion and Sustainable Livelihoods
The developments emerging from the General Wages Council align closely with the ambition of the WINGS Project – Work Inclusion, Growth & Sustainability.
WINGS seeks to strengthen pathways towards inclusive employment, skills development and sustainable livelihoods, with particular attention to women, youth and persons with disabilities.
Within this framework, domestic work can be understood not simply as a source of income, but as a sector with potential for professionalisation, skills recognition, improved employment conditions and greater economic inclusion.
A stronger domestic-work ecosystem can connect several critical elements: recognised skills, quality training, responsible recruitment, fair remuneration, worker protection, employer awareness and pathways to sustainable employment.
For women and other groups facing barriers to decent employment, these connections can be particularly significant.
A Shared Responsibility
Advancing decent work in domestic employment cannot be achieved by one institution or sector alone.
It requires sustained collaboration between Government, employers, workers and their organisations, recruitment agencies, training institutions, private-sector actors and development partners.
The General Wages Council resolutions provide a framework for that dialogue. The task ahead is to translate the resolutions into practical systems, informed implementation and measurable progress.
At The Tree of Life Trust, through our work under WINGS, we believe that inclusion must extend beyond access to employment. It must also encompass the quality, dignity, safety, recognition and sustainability of that employment.
The future of domestic work in Kenya should recognise the people behind the work, the skills they bring, the responsibilities they carry and the contribution they make to households and the wider economy.
Decent work is not only about having a job. It is about creating the conditions in which work can become a pathway to dignity, opportunity, protection and sustainable livelihoods.
Through partnerships and continued social dialogue, we can help build a labour market where work is recognised, skills are valued, rights are protected and opportunity is more inclusive.