FAQ

FAQ’s (answering some basic questions for those who aren’t familiar with the issues, or live outside the region)

Where do the migrant workers in the Gulf originate from, and what sort of jobs do they do?

Most migrant labourers come to the Gulf from other countries in the Middle East, Africa, South and Southeast Asia. Men primarily from South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan) work in the construction sector, and have supplied the manpower that has been necessary for the Gulf States to rapidly build up major real estate and infrastructure projects, such as The Palm and the Burj Dubai in the UAE. Tens of thousands of women are from countries as diverse as Sri Lanka, India, the Philippines, Ethiopia and Indonesia work as housemaids for local families. Others work in low-paid jobs in factories and as cleaners. In Saudi Arabia, migrants are regularly employed as drivers, since women are not legally allowed to drive.

Why do migrant workers come to the Gulf?

The oil boom has created tens of thousands of jobs for labourers, maids, cleaners and drivers to fill a gap in the labour market. Rapid economic growth has ensured that there have been millions of positions to fill in the gulf, and even in the current global economic downturn, workers from all across the world are still being recruited. The overwhelming majority of these migrant workers come from developing countries, and travel to the Gulf with the aim of earning enough money to send back to their families back home. The money that they send back (remittances) is an extremely important source of foreign exchange for many developing countries, and a accounts for a high share of GDP in countries such as the Philippines and Nepal (11% and 17% respectively).

What kind of human rights abuses do migrant workers face in the Gulf?

For many workers, going to the Gulf is a risky business. On arrival, many construction workers and maids will have their passports taken away from them by their employer for ‘safekeeping’.

Construction workers are often subjected to overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions, and corrupt recruitment brokers may take a cut from their wages. They will often work in unsafe conditions and extremely high temperatures. It is no coincidence that one of the most common causes of death among perfectly healthy young men is cardiac arrest. Accidents on construction sites are also a frequent cause of death and serious injury.

Many women working as domestics are overworked and underpaid, and are often not allowed a day off. Some women are beaten by their employers, and in extreme cases, raped or tortured.

What is the Kafala system?

All countries in the Gulf, with the exception of Bahrain, have a sponsorship system known as the kafala system. This means that a worker’s right to work and remain in the host country is tied to the sponsorship of his or her employer. They are not free to switch jobs and can end up being deported if they attempt leave their employer. This law has particularly serious implications for women working as maids, who are legally required to reside with their employer. The kafala system makes it extremely difficult for domestic workers to leave in situations where they are underpaid or abused. It also binds construction and factory workers to their employers. Bahrain will be the first country in the region to scrap the kafala system, as of August 1st 2009, and there are signs that other countries may follow suit in the coming years.

What help is there available to migrant workers in the Gulf if they run into trouble?

The main source of help for migrant workers is their nearest embassy or consulate, since the governments of their host country in the Gulf typically avoid taking responsibility for their welfare. A number of embassies offer shelter to workers who are fleeing abusive employers, and can help with their repatriation. However, many migrant workers do not have diplomatic representation in their host country, and have no-one to turn to for help in emergencies (for example, Nepal does not maintain embassies in Kuwait or Bahrain). Some countries in the Gulf declare ‘amnesties’ every couple of years, when they offer to repatriate any workers that have become ‘stranded’ without their papers, homeless or illegally employed.

There are a number of NGOs which offer help to migrant workers in distress in the Gulf. One of these is the Migrant Workers Protection Society in Bahrain, which provides temporary shelter for workers and helps them to access diplomatic and legal help. However, governments in the Gulf states are generally suspicious of NGO activities, and local laws can make it difficult or even impossible for charities to form and become legally recognized.

Community organisations run by expats to help nationals of their own countries, such as overseas Filipinos, Indians and Pakistanis, have also been very supportive of migrants in trouble.

What can concerned individuals do to help?

Number One: BREAK THE SILENCE!The first stage of M-R.org’s work is to raise as much awareness as possible about the abuses of migrant workers in the Gulf. At present, this is an issue that is rarely discussed in public, and this silence is only making things worse for migrant workers. All the time that we are turning blind eyes to this issue and not talking about it, thousands of migrant workers are living in squalid conditions in labour camps outside the city limits, or languishing in the households of abusive employers, their spirits broken and hope of ever seeing their families again fading with each day that passes.

It’s not enough for us just to be appalled and to shrug it off, saying that our actions can never achieve change. Even if you just write to your local paper, MP, government or embassy then that goes some way towards breaking down the taboo of discussing the human rights of migrants. If you blog, write something about migrant abuse. Post a link on Facebook. Tweet about it on Twitter.

If you’re a journalist and are in a position to do so, write about the situation of migrant workers. We are here to help you if you need comment or contacts, and are just an email away.

We have a collective responsibility to these workers. As there is virtually no-one else to speak up for them or to fight their corner, we must.