Trapped and abused: Kenyan domestic workers speak out

A new report by Amnesty International has exposed the horrific abuse Kenyan women endure while working as domestic staff in Saudi Arabia, revealing a system built on deception, forced labour and racism.

According to the report titled “Locked in, left out: The hidden lives of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia,” up to 70 women shared deeply disturbing experiences of life in Saudi homes, where they were stripped of their rights, dignity, and basic freedoms.

Many of the women had fled poverty in Kenya with the hope of finding better lives, only to be met with inhumane treatment.

The women said that recruiters in Kenya deceived them with promises of good jobs. But once in Saudi Arabia, they found themselves working in brutal conditions, often more than 16 hours a day without rest, food, or days off.

Their phones and passports were taken, wages were withheld or delayed, and they were denied any contact with the outside world.

"There was no chance to rest. I would work for her the whole day, and then even at night, I would still be working. I felt like a donkey and even donkeys find rest," Rashida (not her real name) said.

The report describes how racism and isolation are common tools of control, with some women subjected to verbal, physical and sexual assault.

The domestic workers were also excluded from Saudi Arabia’s labour law and did not benefit from recent reforms that supposedly protect migrant workers.

"These women travelled to Saudi Arabia in search of work to support their families, but instead endured unspeakable abuse in the homes of their employers," Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton said.

Joy described the experience as being in prison. "Once you are inside you never go out. You don’t go out and do not see out. This made me feel like it’s a prison," she said.

Eve said her employer called her a slave, adding, "The first thing my boss did was to take my passport. If you ask, they will tell you ‘I have paid for everything for you'; and you will not dare to say anything because you are in a foreign country."

Despite working tirelessly, the women were paid an average of Sh30,909 per month, with none receiving overtime pay.

Some employers refused to pay altogether. Others gave their staff rotten food, or no food at all.

"Food was the main problem," Katherine said. “I survived on biscuits,” she added, explaining how her boss would throw away any food she made for herself.

The report also reveals that some who reported their mistreatment to Saudi authorities or the Kenyan embassy were punished, falsely accused of crimes or forced to return home empty-handed.

"The Kenyan government is actively encouraging labour migration, and the Saudi Arabian authorities claim they have introduced labour rights reforms, yet behind closed doo,rs domestic workers continue to face shocking levels of racism, abuse and exploitation," said Irungu.

He urged both governments to act, saying, "The Saudi and Kenyan authorities must listen to these women, whose labour sustains families and contributes to the economic development of both countries."

Amnesty International is calling for urgent action, including giving domestic workers equal protection under Saudi labour law, creating an effective inspection system for private homes, and dismantling the Kafala system, which binds workers to their employers.

Neither the Saudi nor Kenyan authorities responded to Amnesty’s request for comment.