Recent findings unveiled by Amnesty International shed light on the severe exploitation faced by Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. This heavy critique underscores numerous violations amounting to slavery and human trafficking. The detailed 50-page report, released the day before the announcement, paints a distressing picture of inhumane conditions endured by these workers.
The report reveals that women working as domestic workers are subjected to excessive working hours without proper nutrition or accommodation. The workers often toil for at least 16 hours daily and are deprived of days off for as long as two years. Physical, verbal, and sexual abuses are frequently reported, while their wages—averaging around $0.50 an hour—are often withheld at the employers’ whims.
These Kenyan workers are enmeshed in the notorious Kafala system, a sponsorship arrangement binding foreign workers to their employers in Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia. Here, employers assume full legal responsibility for the workers, leading to the confiscation of passports, phones, and other critical documents—a practice that facilitates exploitation akin to slavery.
While Saudi Arabia remains a signatory to the 1926 Slavery Convention, the enforcement of laws against these abuses remains sparse, and those who attempt to report violations face the risk of further maltreatment.
Attempted reforms enacted by the Saudi government in 2023 have been criticized for their ineffectiveness, as changes only benefit Saudi citizens. Despite pledges incorporated within Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to improve the situation for foreign workers, the enduring culture of employer impunity, along with the Kafala system’s persistence, continues to obstruct meaningful progress.
The push factors driving Kenyan workers to Saudi Arabia largely stem from limited domestic opportunities, with some receiving encouragement from the Kenyan government itself. In response, Amnesty International is advocating for the Kenyan government to assume a more decisive role in safeguarding its citizens working abroad, urging cooperation with Saudi entities to protect the rights of migrant workers. The call also includes pressing Saudi authorities to dismantle the Kafala system and ensure the enforcement of existing legal protections.
Further insights into these pressing issues can be found directly on the JURIST news platform.