In Lebanon, a coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations and independent activists launched a campaign aimed at celebrating and honoring migrant domestic workers in Lebanon on the occasion of International Workers’ Day on May 1, 2010, Saturday. “24/7” means 24 hours a …
Posted in General, Housemaids, Lebanon, Working conditions | Leave a commentSaudi Arabia’s “Arab News” published an excellent opinion article about rights of domestic workers in the kingdom. The writer, Turki Al-Dakheel details the various forms of abuse maids are exposed to including sexual harassment, passport confiscation and physical abuse, and …
Posted in Abusive employers, Housemaids, Saudi Arabia | Leave a commentOn April 10th, Kuwait’s Arab Times reported about the rape and kidnapping of an unnamed Indonesian maid by a police officer. This report is an appalling example of the regional papers’ disregard to migrant and women’s rights. Kuwaiti press in …
Posted in Housemaids, Kuwait, Rape | 15 CommentsFollowing a bloody month in March in Saudi Arabia when four migrants ended their lives or attempted to do so, April is setting a new low record with five suicides or suicide attempts in just 11 days. This month, four …
Posted in Housemaids, Saudi Arabia, Sponsorship, Suicide | 3 CommentsWe have created this PSA animation to note that for far too long, migrant workers have been an invisible majority in the Middle East. They are rarely discussed in the media and receive little protection from the governments of host …
Posted in Abusive employers, Gulf, MR Site, Slavery, Videos | Leave a commentLeading UK daily The Times recently ran this article Dubai: Gilded Cage, reviewing sociologist Syed Ali’s new book of the same name on the paradoxes of life in Dubai. Ali digs beneath the surface of ‘brand Dubai’ to examine the …
Posted in UAE, Workers | 1 CommentKuwait’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr. Mohammed Al-Afasi announced this week the government’s intention to set a minimum wage for expatriate workers. In addition, Al-Afasi said that his ministry is in the process of creating an independent labor …
Posted in Kuwait, Legislation, Sponsorship | 3 CommentsIn November 2009, one of Future TV’s Tawasul [Communicating] episodes was on the situation of women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. In that episode (published below, partly in English), International Labor Organization (ILO) senior technical specialist, Ms. Simel Esim calls …
Posted in Housemaids, Lebanon, Working conditions | 2 CommentsThe Khaleej Times reported yesterday about a significant increase in the number of cases of abuse registered at the Indonesian embassy in Abu Dhabi. According to the embassy, most of the complaints are about unpaid wages and work overload while …
Posted in Abusive employers, Housemaids, UAE | Leave a comment