Ditshwanelo - The Botswana Centre for Human Rights

DITSHWANELO Press Statement on International Workers’ Day, 2026 DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights and the Botswana Domestic Workers Association (DWA), join the world in commemorating Labour Day – also known as International Workers’ Day, which is observed annually on the 1st of May.

The theme for this year is "Ensuring a Healthy Psycho-social Working Environment." The origins of the commemoration, date back to the 19th century, rooted in the remembrance of historic struggles and gains made by workers and labour movements, to demand fair labour standards and safe working conditions. The theme reminds us that the fight for fair labour practice has evolved beyond physical security, to the emotional and psychological well-being of every worker.

The working landscape for most workers in the informal sector, especially domestic workers, is often isolated. This makes workers susceptible to psychological risks such as harassment and stress due to unregulated working conditions. The domestic workers’ sector is one of the most vulnerable because they are often in an ‘always on-duty’ state of service. The healthiest working environments are those where dignity and the value of an individual are non-negotiable and where the rights of every worker are protected and safeguarded.

DITSHWANELO has over the years worked on the rights of workers, including of domestic workers. This led to the facilitation and registration of the Botswana Domestic Workers Association in 2013. The Association, in conjunction with DITSHWANELO, conducts public education and awareness raising about domestic workers rights across the country. It also advocates for the protection and promotion of workers’ rights extensively, ensuring that labour standards align with regional and international human rights standards.

Evidence from DITSHWANELO’s ongoing work in the Gantsi District highlights a trend of systemic labour rights violations. These violations vary from low pay and sub-standard living conditions, to long working hours. The psychological toll of labour exploitation has been continuously compounded by historical marginalisation, developing an environment of fear and dependency as opposed to dignity.

Central to a healthy psycho-social environment is the issue of a living wage. The minimum wage for domestic workers is P1500 per month. The living wage proposed by the government of Botswana is P4000 per month. However, there continues to be a widespread lack of consistent support and compliance with living wage initiative of the government. Such non-compliance by employers leaves workers with perpetual financial insecurity and inability to have a decent standard of living.

Botswana has been a member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) since 27 February 1978. However, is has not yet ratified the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155). This is a landmark international treaty designed to ensure that workers enjoy a workplace which is safe, healthy and conducive for the promotion and protection of both their physical and mental well-being. The ratification of this treaty is not just a legal formality, but a critical psycho-social intervention to ensure that rights and the dignity of workers are protected. The Convention views psychological health as a fundamental component for workplace safety, as it states "The term 'health', in relation to work, indicates not merely the absence of disease or infirmity; it also includes the physical and mental elements affecting health which are directly related to safety and hygiene at work." Article 3(e), ILO Convention No. 1551.

We commend our trade unions for advocating for the recognition of the right to dignity in the workplace and fair labour practices. To honour our commitment to the ILO and this year’s theme, we call upon the government of Botswana to:

1.Ratify the ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), which formally recognises psycho-social risks as a fundamental occupational hazard and integrates mental well-being into national labour policy.

2.Ratify the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190), which aims to protect workers from the psychological harm caused by workplace bullying and gender-based violence.

3.Enforce consistent minimum/ living wage initiative compliance, which will ensure that the initiative is effectively monitored , and

4. Enact laws and policies which will address and eradicate sub-standard working conditions for all workers in Botswana.

30 April 2026
Gaborone

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To access the clause-by-clause analysis, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SQ8P6EPVszw-x9FjCenYlfy8M5N4Gg34/view?usp=sharing

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