This article examines the plight of East African women hired as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, detailing their dangerous journeys and the grim realities they face, including abuse and death.
The Hidden Costs of Domestic Work: Tales of East African Women in Saudi Arabia
The Hidden Costs of Domestic Work: Tales of East African Women in Saudi Arabia
A deep dive into the harrowing experiences of East African housekeepers in Saudi Arabia, revealing systemic exploitation and abuse.
As we traveled through the neighborhoods and villages of Kenya and Uganda, a disturbing pattern emerged surrounding the experiences of women seeking domestic work in Saudi Arabia. While the job of a housekeeper or nanny is generally deemed safe in many regions, countless testimonies revealed that these East African women often embark on a path filled with suffering and danger.
Over the past five years, at least 274 Kenyan women have lost their lives while working in Saudi households, with 55 reported fatalities in the past year alone, marking a troubling increase. Victims' families detailed grisly accounts – one Ugandan woman was found with extensive bruises and signs of electrocution, although her death was classified as "natural." Reports of women plummeting from various heights in their employers' homes only compounded the mystery surrounding these tragic outcomes.
The systematic exploitation is facilitated by a network of agencies, which are approved by governments in Uganda, Kenya, and Saudi Arabia, and it raises significant questions about the oversight within this widely accepted trade. Worker advocates attribute much of the blame to outdated labor laws in Saudi Arabia, but our investigation aimed to uncover additional layers of responsibility.
Through interviews with over 90 workers and their families, alongside meticulous examination of employment contracts, a grim picture emerged. The narrative unfolded that many women are lured by enticing prospects of financial security, only to find themselves trapped in abusive environments, experiencing not just physical violence but also emotional and psychological torment.
The social and economic urgency driving these women to seek work overseas cannot be understated. Many dream of providing a better life for their families. Unfortunately, for numerous women from East Africa, this ambition devolves into an unimaginable nightmare, as they grapple with the harrowing realities that the exploitation of workers in the domestic sphere often conceals.
