Tanzania Validates Revised PDO Manual and Domestic Worker Curriculum

In response to a request from Tanzania’s Prime Minister’s Office for Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability (PMO-YLED), the ILO conducted a comprehensive gap analysis of existing domestic worker training and PDO programmes. The analysis benchmarked Tanzania’s current offerings against international best practices and standards, drawing comparisons with curricula from other countries in Africa, Asia, and the Gulf. This initiative was timely, as Tanzania recently signed new bilateral labour migration agreements (BLMAs) with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, reinforcing the need to equip outgoing domestic workers with practical skills, legal awareness, and social protections before departure. A national workshop held from 22–25 April 2025 validated Tanzania’s revised PDO manual and competency-based domestic worker curriculum. The workshop marked a real turning point in efforts to professionalise domestic work in Tanzania. It focused on giving migrant domestic workers, especially women heading to the Gulf States and other destinations, the right tools, knowledge, and confidence to work safely and with dignity.

The workshop achieved several key outcomes that will significantly improve Tanzania’s labour migration governance and the quality of training for domestic workers. The first significant achievement was the endorsement of a structured, competency-based domestic worker curriculum within the National Vocational Awards (NVA) framework (Levels 1–3), creating pathways to higher National Technical Awards (NTA Levels 4–10). This formalisation will professionalise domestic work and expand educational access for those without formal academic qualifications, particularly women and youth. Another significant outcome was the validation of a revised PDO manual that extends the training period from a mere three hours to a comprehensive three-day programme. The new manual integrates critical modules, including labour rights, workplace safety, safe migration, financial literacy, digital skills, sexual and reproductive health, and freedom of association. These modules align with Tanzania’s 2023 Education Policy and are designed to prepare domestic workers not only for their job responsibilities but also to navigate complex migration challenges, reduce their vulnerability to abuse, and assert their rights abroad.

The initiative strengthens skills, safety, and dignity for Tanzanian migrant domestic workers, especially women migrating to the Gulf.