Research shows deaths due to suicide, violence such as homicide and sexual assault are rising much more steeply in the Middle East than in any other region in the world.
A recent 133-page report by Human Rights Watch, “As If I Am Not Human’: Abuses against Asian Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia,” based on 142 interviews with domestic workers, senior government officials, and labor recruiters in Saudi Arabia and labor-sending countries indicated that labor-sending countries shelter thousands of domestic workers with complaints against their employers or recruiters each year.
The seriousness of this matter was underestimated by stake holders in Uganda until last week when a Parliamentary Committee revealed that 48 Ugandans were reported dead, including 34 due to suicide in Middle East since January this year.
The 48 were registered only in United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait. Media reported that the migrant workers are subjected to sexual molestation, torture or denial of pay and also lack job security.
“All these people were buried in the desert, because they did not possess travel documents. They were confiscated by the companies that hired them to do work in those countries,” Member of Parliament, David Abala (Ngora County) told reporters at Parliament.
In the wake of these findings, Church of Uganda Archbishop, Stanley Ntagali has implored youths to look for opportunities at home than abroad, “where many have been reported dead.”
He made the remarks during the commemoration of St Luke day at St.Luke chapel in Mulago on Sunday.
“We are appealing to our young people to keep home. If you qualify for a Job and you know exactly where you are going, praise God, go in peace. But those who are not sure where you are going, we discourage that… We appeal to our Parliament and Uganda police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs to revise that,” he said.
Notably, government once banned Ugandans from going for work in the Middle East. The ban was however lifted when particularly Saudi Arabia promised to amend safely measures for migrants.
Saudi Arabia households employ an estimated 1.5 million domestic workers, primarily from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Nepal. Smaller numbers come from other countries in Africa and Asia.
Human Rights Watch reports complaints ranging from Excessive workload and unpaid wages, for periods ranging from a few months to 10 years. Many domestic workers must work 18 hours a day, seven days a week.
“The Saudi government has some good proposals for reform but it has spent years considering them without taking any action,” Nisha Varia, senior researcher in the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch said. “It’s now time to make these changes, which include covering domestic workers under the 2005 Labor Law and changing the kafala system so that workers’ visas are no longer tied to their employers.”
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
