Kenyan Women Domestic Workers Face Systemic Human Rights Violations in Gulf Cooperation Council Nations
Kenyan women migrating to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations for domestic work are experiencing widespread human rights violations, stemming from governance failures in both Kenya and the destination countries. These issues begin before departure with weak recruitment oversight, inadequate pre-departure training, and bilateral labor agreements (BLAs) that prioritize labor export over worker protection. Kenya's failure to ratify ILO Convention No. 189 further exacerbates the vulnerability of these workers. Upon arrival in GCC nations, the Kafala system, which ties a foreign worker's legal residency to a specific employer, creates significant power imbalances. This system, combined with the non-ratification of international labor conventions by GCC states, leads to exploitation. Common violations include wage theft, mobility restrictions, physical abuse, gender-based violence, excessive working hours, denial of days off, contract substitution, passport confiscation, and lack of legal protection, often re...
