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Put Yourself in Her Shoes Campaign


This post is unrelated to fashion but I felt it's very important to shed a light on a very important issue we have here in our region. The Kuwait Human Rights Society; The Kuwait Society for Basic Evaluators of Human Rights; The Kuwait Center for Expatriates’ Rights; and the Kuwait Social Work Society joined with Human Rights Watch, which documents human rights abuses worldwide, to raise awareness of the abuses faced by domestic workers in Kuwait.

The campaign is an effort to shine a spotlight on abuses that too often remain hidden in private homes and outside the law’s reach. Employers in Kuwait too often violate domestic workers’ rights under both Kuwaiti and international law. The coalition is urging Kuwait to protect domestic workers’ rights under its labor laws, and to grant them the same rights that other workers now have, including limited work hours, on-time payment of wages, and a weekly day off.

So it is my pleasure to post a banner dedicated for this cause, in a small effort to raise awareness among all. Please click the banner on my blog to find out more about human rights abuses world wide. 

Thank you Mariam for sharing this with me. 

Comments

Anonymous said…
really?

They have more rights that us nowdays, the law is not protecting those whom paid fortune to get them here, trained them and fed them, wakhrat'ha they decide to file a complaint against her hosted family.

what about the 700 KD the family paid to get you in their house. refund please?

Our endless spoils to them is useless. Seriously, this law is providing them too many privledges/right,7ag ilmitradya wil ne6ee7a. Just because few families bil3ashra abused them doesn't mean that every house is!
Confashion said…
Anonymous
I agree with you that we all don't treat them this way. But I still feel it's important to shed light on this issue. I see some families who pay their maid her salary in a timely manner and give her food, a clean place to sleep, but in return she gets no day-offs, a lot of verbal abuse/insults, and works 10+ hours straight.

We have to consider the fact that these women came from poor villages. So ppl can't possibly depend on them to help with the kids homework or take the kids to the doctor.

True, you and I might treat them well, but a large number of families don't. And they live in Kuwait's "mana6eq dakhilliya" too.
Confashion said…
And I agree with you anonymous, there should be some right to protect the employer as well (not sure if there are already or not)
P said…
Ok, a family pays 700KD to get them here, but THEY are the ones that want him/her here to do the things that THEY don't feel like doing-- or are too lazy to do (i.e. cooking, cleaning, washing your car, driving you to the mall, raising your kids, etc). People complain about paying to get them here, but they don't complain when they spend 700KD + on a designer handbag or on a pair of Louboutins... It hurts people to pay their domestic help a miserable wage of 40/50KD a month with no days off, but they don't complain when they they spend 40-50 KD at MAC...

It’s very sad and most of all EMBARRASSING that the Gulf has give itself this sort of tacky reputation. I hope more housekeepers and laborers come out and face those who physically or psychologically abuse them. Those inhumane bastards who treat humans like crap need to be punished to the full extent of the law (if there is actually one around here that is enforced).

And one more thing: People need to stop putting their housekeepers/nannys in the trunk of their SUV’s! One thing that really gets to me while I’m driving is to see housekeepers sitting in the trunk of an SUV while 2 kids are comfortably roaming around in the back seat! This HAS to stop!

I agree, not everyone abuses their domestic help, but there are labor laws that need to be placed and severely enforced around here. Why, because they're human. They are someones daughter, son, brother, etc-- if it were someone in your family who was a domestic helper, you would want the same for them.

Sorry Confashion, but I just had to vent. This is a topic that REALLY gets to me...
Worried Citizen said…
Paid 700 KD?!?! Anonymous, Do you actually think that the poor guy/woman actually sees a Fils of that?! Its "Tijar il iqamat" who are ripping you and the poor worker off!!
Sometimes i feel people here are living in a fairy tale.
I know some workers are treated well, but that does not mean that there are MANY more that are beaten/driven over/nailed across her body every day out there.
Its time people become aware that Kuwait is known for these slavery conditions of their workers!
I am happy to see more and more each day, people becoming more aware and trying to stop this inhumane treatment.
R said…
mmm not the best choice of wardrobe. Whats with the necklace and the nail polish...not the best but the idea is nice
Anonymous said…
I hope people actually take this campaign seriously. Things like THIS need to stop:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6944QE20101005

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