Abuse of Domestic Workers in the Gulf
Al-Jazeera English aired a story today about the abuse domestic workers suffer in the Gulf. The report included an interview with a women who came to work as a maid in the UAE from East Africa (her accent is Ethiopian, as far as I can tell). The maid was daily abused by her female employer for two years, from the second day of her employment and until a doctor notice her multiple injuries in a periodic medical checkup. The maid was beaten, burned with scolding water and hot iron, and was denied medical treatment for her injuries. She was forced to have sex with another maid, as their sadistic employer filmed them. The employer then used the video to blackmail the maid into not going to the police, saying that “the law is in her favor”.
Simel Isheb of the International Labor Organization told AJE that despite ministerial decrees across the region, domestic workers are still not protected by labor laws. Isheb added that the sponsorship system creates total dependency, which leads to “total vulnerability, and opens the door wide for abuse and exploitation”.
See the report here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toebp2LJin0[/youtube]
For more information about the conditions of migrant workers in the Middle-East, listen to this interview.
I found this situation absolutely horrific. Every day you hear about new cases of abuse, some of them deadly. It’s clear that laws and decrees are not enough to stop this serious societal problem. At the end of the day, it comes down to what each and every one of us needs to do to end discrimination against and abuse of migrant workers in our midst.
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it is a sad story what can be done?most of the girls they are traveling illigaly fom Ethiopia why the Ethiopian Government stop that specially who traveling through the air port. unless some one involved in this job.and making money
at this time all legal agencys they stoped working in Beruit,Saudi,Kuwait,Dubai,Bahiren but the girls travel everyday through the airport so some one know something: their is human trafiking we ask Ethiopian Government specially high level to think one minute and make history I belive if the PM aware this dirty game he will do something.
Tesfa,
I don’t think that there’s a way to really stop people from entering the Gulf to work. These people need those jobs to survive and are willing to break the law just so they can work.
You seem to assume that if they work, they will be abused. However, this isn’t necessary. Not all migrant workers across the globe get abused, and there are many employers in the region who treat their workers well. I think harsher laws need to be enacted, but that won’t be enough. On a personal level, people need to make sure to treat their workers well, not turn a blind eye when they see someone abuse, and if they can, try to help those workers who are in distress.
It is really tragedy to see the brutuality of fellow human being beating the one who came to his window for daily bread.The police and government of UAE must take the action to defend the right women in the country.It affect the image of justice system in that country.Alla never allow this cruel acts.
Thanks to Al-jazeezra!
i meet somalian girl in london ,she was working as a servent in sudia arabia and she suffered from her employer abuse ,he tried to rape her several times, so she gathered enough money and went to somalia .from where she was smuggled by boats to Greeg ,she was arrested there and since then she is illegal in euorp and suffering from living in poverity and fear of police ,these cases can be seen all over euorp and they end in prison ,or prostitution or in drugs
Yes there are a lot to be done, these stupid Arabs will never be fixed or repaired even with existance of mercy of Islam, this girl is not the first one…I personally saw more abuses while traveling to to Middle East as a soldier, I am totally ashamed of these animals as a muslim, what kind of stupid people are these? do you kill a child? do you abuse poor people seeking save heaven from you? do you know that you will lose every thing you got if you will not treat and use it right? an Ethiopian dog never bites strangers….Do you idiots know how many time Allah Mentioned Ethiopia in a Quran and Bible as well as the Prophet (PBU) you are abusing slaves of Allah even if they are not muslims, and Allah will pay you for what you have done before you will die, your grave will be furnshed with endless fire of hell.
Are these the muslims told in the Quran? are these the muslims raised on the land of Islam its self? no wondering Ethiopian Muslims hate Arabs in general….this will change very soon, no matter how hard these worthless illitrates are working torth distablizing Ethiopia for centuries by funding a war agains that poor country, Ethiopia is overcoming all the idiot arabs sabotages and going the right direction wealth and progression…that will end our relationship with these nightmare Arabs..their ..these animals are not really considered a human by any count.
Jemal, I agree with you that mistreating your workers goes against the Qur’an, but I don’t think it’s useful to speak in such a hateful way about all Arabs. Many people in the region do treat their workers well, and many are trying to help them.
The news report looks tragic, well its heartening to note that people are ready to point out such abuses and are trying to redress them through awareness which is akin to silver lining in a dark sky!!
Fatima, thanks for this piece!