Finally, some thoughtful and intelligent reporting on migrant women in the Middle East. JPost’s Mya Guarnieri listens to the stories of migrant women in Israel and discovers that migrant life can be both exploitative and liberating.
Migrant women are subject to abuse and overwork by their emp…
Archive for the ‘Housemaids’ Category
‘Making the Best of a Bad Situation’: Israel’s Migrant Women Speak Up
May 29th, 2010
April 2010: Another Bloody Month for Migrant Workers in Kuwait
May 8th, 2010
Migrant workers continue to commit suicide at an alarming rate in Kuwait, as a close examination of Kuwaiti papers for the month of April 2010 shows. During this time period, there have 12 reported cases of suicide and suicide attempt by migrant workers in the emirate. Previously, during 35 surveyed...
Modern-Day Slavery in Saudi Arabia: Abused and Unpaid Maids “Rented” for Profit
May 5th, 2010
Abusive employers Housemaids Saudi Arabia Slavery
A severely abused Indian maid managed to procure a cellphone and contact the Saudi paper “Arab Times”, sharing her harrowing tale. The maid, “Amina” (not her real name) began working for a family living in Ahsa in the Saudi Eastern Province almost a year ago. Soon after the m...
Four Domestic Workers Commit or Attempt Suicide in Bahrain in One Week
May 4th, 2010
Within a week, two housemaids have ended their lives in Bahrain and two have attempted to do so. Bahrain does not offer protection to domestic workers under its labor laws. On April 30, the Gulf Daily News reported that the body of Samantha Kumud, a 37-year-old Sri Lankan maid was found hanging from...
Lebanon: One more Ethiopian falling from the balcony
May 4th, 2010
Al-Akhbar newspaper reported today the death of Ethiopian maid Wilana Sbsay, who “fell” from the balcony of her employers in Antelias, north of Beirut. According to reports, Al-AKhbar said, she threw herself from the balcony.
Migrant Domestic Workers in the Middle East: Exploited, Abused and Ignored
April 30th, 2010
Abusive employers Bahrain Housemaids Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Legislation Racism Rape Saudi Arabia Sponsorship Suicide Trafficking UAE Working conditions
A new Human Rights Watch (HRW) report about the rights of migrant domestic workers focused heavily on the Middle East, and for a good reason: most regional governments do not include domestic workers under the protection of its labor laws, and the current regulations leave domestic workers open to e...
Bill Clinton Claims the UAE Passed Legislation Giving Migrants “a Better Deal”
April 24th, 2010
Housemaids Sponsorship UAE Working conditions
In a recent interview to ABC’s “This Week” former US President Bill Clinton claimed that the UAE passed laws to give “imported workers… a better deal”. This statement is wrong on many levels, moral and factual. Here is the full quote (emphasis ours): The — ...
24/7 Campaign in Lebanon: She too is entitled to a day off!
April 19th, 2010
General Housemaids Lebanon Working conditions
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 day, 7 days a week, show...
Op-Ed Calls on Saudis to Respect Maids According to the Principles on Islam
April 14th, 2010
Abusive employers Housemaids Saudi Arabia
Saudi 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 states ...
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