Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia face severe exploitation, including imprisonment, racism, and instances of rape, with working conditions so harsh that they often amount to “forced labour and human trafficking,” according to a report released by Amnesty International on Tuesday.
The findings come as US President Donald Trump is due to arrive in Riyadh for an official visit. Amnesty’s report sheds light on the harrowing experiences of more than 70 women who worked as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, detailing reports of “awful living conditions and inhumane treatment,” including sexual, verbal, and physical assault.
Employers reportedly confiscated the workers’ passports and phones and frequently withheld their wages, the report says. Amnesty has criticised the Kenyan government for its role in facilitating the exploitation.
“The Kenyan government is actively encouraging labour migration, and the Saudi authorities claim to have introduced labour rights reforms,” said Irungu Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya. “However, behind closed doors, domestic workers continue to endure shocking levels of racism, abuse, and exploitation.”
The average monthly salary for these workers was 900 Saudi riyals (about $240), with no overtime, amounting to a meagre hourly rate of just 50 cents. One interviewee described the situation as “a prison” due to the lack of freedom, as they were confined to the house with little to no chance to go out.
Many workers reported being deprived of adequate food and being forced to sleep in unsuitable conditions, such as store cupboards or on the floor of a child’s bedroom. Some women described experiences of sexual violence, including one woman who recounted being raped five times by the employer’s husband.
Amnesty also highlighted “systemic racism” against Kenyan workers, with some being called derogatory terms like “animal” and “monkey” by their employers.
Saudi Arabia hosts roughly four million domestic workers, the majority of whom are from foreign countries, including 150,000 from Kenya, according to the labour market statistics cited by Amnesty.
The controversial “kafala” sponsorship system continues to bind migrant workers to their employers. While there have been some recent reforms to the system, Amnesty noted that “tight restrictions” still remain.
The rights group reported receiving no response to their inquiries sent to either the Saudi or Kenyan authorities. AFP also failed to secure any comment from the Kenyan government, which promotes labour migration as a way to support the country’s struggling economy.