At the Mercy of the Home-Owner: The Exploitation of Migrant Domestic Workers in the Gulf and the Levant

The upper classes of the Gulf and Levant regions are known for their opulent lifestyles and luxurious homes, but behind closed doors lies a shameful reality - the exploitation and abuse of countless migrant domestic workers who are forced to live in their employers' homes and endure unimaginable hardships in the name of servitude. A migrant domestic worker (MDW) is an individual who has migrated from their home country to work as a domestic worker in a foreign state. Domestic work includes cleaning, cooking, childcare, and other household chores. More than 6.6 million migrant domestic workers over the age of 15 are employed in the homes of the Arabian gulf region, Jordan, and Lebanon. These workers are often employed by private households and usually live with their employers. Demographically, these workers are typically female nationals of South Asian states, mainly the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. 

However, complications regarding implementing labour protection laws in Asian states have opened up the employment pool from African states such as Egypt and Ethiopia. A pertinent example of this is Saudi Arabia’s ban on Phillipino MDWs after the Philippines imposed what Saudis termed as ‘tough’ working requirements and labour protections. Indonesia also followed suit, which considerably lowered the supply of workers leading to the discovery of new, less regulated employment demographics. On an economic level, this outsourcing of labour disregards local needs for employment by unskilled workers. Jordan has an unemployment rate above 22.6%, yet those who can afford to employ domestic workers do so outside of the Jordanian working population.

Agencies that work as the middleman between the worker and the employer promise an opportunity for desperately needed money to sustain the lives of the worker's family. However, on arrival, many migrant domestic workers may face various challenges, such as exploitation, abuse, and limited access to labour rights and social security. Due to the lack of domestic legislation protecting migrant workers and their labour rights, many migrant domestic workers work 14 to 18-hour days, seven days a week, without legally mandated holidays or breaks. Their term away from their homes can last a few months to multiple years of service, where breaks and trips to see loved ones are left to the employer's mercy. This creates a dangerous dynamic in which the employer can abuse their autocratic role in the vertical relationship between themselves and their subordinates. 

Horrifyingly, the lack of oversight and protection of MDWs has allowed numerous employers to physically and sexually abuse their houseworkers with impunity for extended periods. The Middle East has been plagued by xenophobia towards low-skilled migrant workers due to language barriers and differences in culture, religion, and socioeconomic standing. In turn, this has dehumanised them in the national consciousness, as well as within protective and policing agencies. Likewise, these differences impede many MDWs from accessing justice directly, not to mention the difficulty of leaving a house they are contractually obliged to stay in and work seven days a week. Additionally, reports have exposed that passport confiscation practices have been implemented in order to subdue workers, trapping them indefinitely until they have completed their term of servitude. 

While some countries have taken steps to improve the conditions of MDWs, there is still a long way to go. For example, in 2021, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced a series of reforms aimed at improving the working conditions and rights of MDWs. The reforms include mandatory rest periods, the right to retain passports, and a standard employment contract. However, the reforms have yet to be fully implemented, and many workers continue to face abuse and exploitation.

More than 6.6 million MDWs employed in these regions face unimaginable hardships due to a lack of oversight and protection. The absence of these instruments has allowed employers to physically and sexually abuse their workers with impunity, perpetuating a cycle of abuse and exploitation. Complications regarding the implementation of labour protection laws in Asian states have led to the outsourcing of labour from African states, further exacerbating the issue of unemployment in the region. While some countries have taken steps towards reform, there is still a long way to go in ensuring the safety and protection of MDWs. It is time for the Gulf and Levant regions to prioritise the human rights of MDWs and end this shameful reality behind closed doors. The true measure of a society's progress is how it treats its most vulnerable members. Until the Gulf and Levant regions ensure the safety and protection of migrant domestic workers, they will continue to fall short of this measure.