A Saga of the Plight of Female Domestic Workers in the UAE & Other Gulf Countries

Abstract

Doing household work in others’ homes is a well-established profession nowadays, which is predominantly performed by women of various age groups. They are referred to as domestic workers (servants). They belong to a very poor family and opt for this profession for the sake of money, and it is easy to get no skills needed in this job. The majority of female domestic workers migrate to the UAE from developing or underdeveloped countries, where they earn a higher salary compared to their native countries. They are from a very vulnerable community. The labour laws of most GCC countries do not include domestic workers as labour. Different countries have different laws, but the plight of these female domestic workers is that they are unorganised, and in most countries, they don't fall under the definition of labour in any labour law, so they don't receive any labour benefits. The role of domestic workers in the labour market is great, but their work is undervalued and they do a veiled job which has no recognition. Mostly in Gulf countries, these domestic workers migrate from developing and underdeveloped countries. They come to the Gulf Country in search of a better life, but here in the Gulf Country, they have to suffer a lot, and they are forced to live a very gloomy life. They leave their family in their hometown and come far away to the destination country, where they are exploited a lot. This research paper aims to shed light on the actual working conditions of female domestic workers in the UAE and Other Gulf Countries. In search of a better life for their family, they have to breathe toxic air and live a dusty life.