The Plight of East African Women in Saudi Arabia: A Cycle of Exploitation and Abuse
In recent years, the stories of East African women traveling to Saudi Arabia for domestic work have emerged as a shocking tale of exploitation, abuse, and betrayal. What begins as a promise of better wages and opportunities often turns into a nightmare of physical and emotional abuse, with many women returning home broken, scarred, or even in coffins. Between 2017 and 2022, at least 274 Kenyan women died in Saudi Arabia, with the number of deaths doubling in the final year of that period. Many of these women were young and healthy when they left home, only to meet tragic endings. Autopsy reports have raised more questions than answers, with cases of women showing signs of torture or electrocution being labeled as "natural" deaths. The phenomenon has left families and advocates grappling for answers, wondering how such atrocities could occur in a system regulated by governments and staffed by well-established recruitment agencies.
The Lure of Better Opportunities: How Women Are Sold a Dangerous Dream
The women who leave Kenya and Uganda for Saudi Arabia are often lured by the promise of higher wages and a chance to improve their families’ lives. Recruitment agencies and their brokers paint a rosy picture of life in Saudi Arabia, where domestic workers can earn $200 to $300 a month—a fortune compared to what they could make back home. However, the reality is far from the dream they are sold. Many women report being given misleading information about their wages and working conditions, while others are forced to sign contracts they cannot read. Some recruitment agencies even market these women like products, with websites offering them "for sale" to Saudi clients and even featuring a "click-to-collect" option. Once in Saudi Arabia, these women often find themselves trapped in a system designed to exploit and control them. Their passports and belongings are confiscated by employers, leaving them with no way to escape.
The Powerful Players Profiting from Exploitation
Behind the exploitation of these women lies a network of powerful individuals and companies that profit from their suffering. Through an analysis of employment contracts, autopsies, and corporate records, it becomes clear that high-ranking officials in Kenya, Uganda, and Saudi Arabia are directly or indirectly involved in the recruitment industry. For example, Fabian Kyule Muli, a member of Kenya’s Parliament and vice chairman of the parliamentary labor committee, owns a recruitment agency that sends women to Saudi Arabia. Similarly, in Saudi Arabia, members of the royal family and senior officials have investments in staffing agencies that supply domestic workers. These individuals are in positions of power that could allow them to protect workers, yet they often turn a blind eye to the abuse or actively promote the export of labor. The conflict of interest is glaring, and the lack of accountability has allowed this exploitation to thrive.
The Horrors of Abuse: Women’s Stories of Survival and Suffering
The stories of the women who have survived their time in Saudi Arabia are harrowing. Many report being subjected to physical and sexual abuse, with some describing how they were starved, raped, or assaulted with household chemicals like bleach. Others have been forced to work in brutal conditions, with no rest or pay. Despite these atrocities, the women have little recourse. Saudi authorities often dismiss their complaints or send them back to their abusive employers. Even in cases of serious injury or death, the families of these women face a bureaucratic nightmare to bring their loved ones home. In one devastating case, a Ugandan man was offered a choice by his wife’s employer: her body or her $2,800 in wages. "I told him that whether you send me the money or you don’t send me the money, me, I want the body of my wife," he said.
Broken Systems: The Failure to Protect Vulnerable Workers
The failure to protect these women is not just the result of individual cruelty but also of systemic negligence and corruption. East African governments have ignored calls from human rights groups and activists to negotiate better labor agreements with Saudi Arabia. The existing treaties offer minimal protections for workers, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia claims that its laws and courts protect workers, but the reality is far different. Women who try to report abuse are often met with indifference or hostility, and many are unable to access the resources they need to seek justice. Even those who manage to escape their abusive employers often find themselves trapped in government-funded "safe houses" that feel more like prisons than places of refuge.
A Call to Action: Ending the Exploitation of East African Workers in Saudi Arabia
The exploitation of East African women in Saudi Arabia is a crisis that demands immediate attention and action. Advocates are calling for stronger labor agreements, greater transparency in recruitment practices, and accountability for those who profit from this exploitation. Governments in Kenya, Uganda, and Saudi Arabia must take responsibility for protecting their citizens and enforcing laws that prevent abuse. Until then, the dreams of better lives that lure women to Saudi Arabia will continue to turn into nightmares. The stories of these women are a stark reminder of the human cost of systemic exploitation and the urgent need for change. Their voices must be heard, and their lives must be valued.
