Dark Trade: The Plight of Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia

Despite promises of a brighter future, many East African women are succumbing to abuse, exploitation, and death as they seek employment in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the urgent need for protective measures and reforms.

In bustling Nairobi international airport, the atmosphere is thick with hope for many women departing for jobs in Saudi Arabia. These women, often donning matching T-shirts, are eager to fulfill promises from company recruiters and the Kenyan government that jobs as housekeepers or nannies can pave the way to financial prosperity — enough to build homes and fund their children’s education.

However, an alarming reality looms for many of these women upon their return. Reports from the arrivals area reveal the anguish of many who have faced severe hardship: experiences of unpaid wages, physical abuse, starvation, and sexual assault. Tragically, at least 274 Kenyan domestic workers have died in Saudi Arabia over the past five years, with the death toll from 2023 doubling compared to the previous year.

Autopsy findings are often vague and contradictory, citing causes of death as “natural” while documenting signs of severe trauma such as burns and electric shocks. Sadly, many Ugandans face similar fates in silence, as their government fails to disclose relevant data.

Obligated to safeguard these vulnerable workers, officials like Fabian Kyule Muli, vice chairman of Kenya’s labor committee, possess the authority to launch investigations into these deaths, facilitate government negotiations for stronger protections in Saudi Arabia, and advocate for legislative reforms to limit migration until significant changes are realized. The urgent plight of these women raises a critical call for action, lest more succumb to this deadly cycle of exploitation.