COP28, a topic covered extensively here at impACT, draws closer and as Dubai gears up for the arrival of global leaders, climate experts, and business leaders. But as the world converges on the United Arab Emirates, as does attention to the numerous issues that the Emirates are yet to solve. The abuse of migrant workers in the UAE is well-documented, with both domestic workers and the state’s blue-collar workforce bearing the brunt of abuses. The global event serves as a catalyst, spotlighting the internal challenges faced by the some 8.7 million contract workers currently residing within the Emirates.
At the heart of this multifaceted issue lies a cycle of exploitation sustained by multiple factors, a cycle which has been consistent over a decade. In 2014, a Human Rights Watch article brought to light the dire conditions of female domestic workers within the UAE’s Kafala system. Which essentially allows the ‘employers’, of domestic workers, control of the legal life of an employee, through their ‘sponsorship’. Migrant workers are unable to move freely and have limited access to their passport. Hundreds of thousands of people have travelled across the world under the guise of high wages and excellent working conditions, who are then imprisoned with no recourse to leave. Consistently, agency recruiters paint a favourable picture of life for domestic workers, the ability to financially provide for their families is regularly seen as a “golden opportunity”, as stated in the HRW report, and draws in hundreds of thousands of people.
The Guardian’s most recent report on the current position of domestic workers in the UAE is disheartening, uncovering the consistency of dire and exploitative conditions for female domestic workers. Predominantly, East African and Filipino, women have shared harrowing experiences of abuse, detainment, and the dehumanising treatment perpetuated by recruitment agencies and employers in the UAE. The continuation of such violence has illustrated the lack of desire to improve conditions for working people within the UAE, despite almost a decade having past since the initial HRW report.
The Guardian’s piece has also brought to light the pivotal role of social media, and the ways in which recruitment agencies have evolved. Whether this be in relation to the attraction of new candidates or the marketing of those who arrived and are readily available, it’s main use is as a tool for exploitation.
Those interviewed by The Guardian over the past several years were all recruited from their home countries to work in the UAE. A portion were connected by community members operating as intermediaries, while others responded to advertisements on Facebook. Anticipating immediate job placement upon arrival in the UAE, they were often instead confined to their agency’s facilities for several months, devoid of income to sustain their families, reliant on them.
Instances of verbal and physical assault remains undeniably prevalent, with numerous reported occurrences of such misconduct among individuals housed in agency accommodations. Angelica Pine, for instance, resided in agency accommodation for four months in 2019, claimed violent mistreatment by a staff member: “She has a bad temper. She kicked me, threw me in her room, pulled my hair, slapped my face, and also she took personal things like my mobile phone.”
Whilst in the process of seeking employment, multiple agencies have turned to social media to advertise the women they are holding for sale. Several agencies use social media as a platform to promote the women they have in their possession for potential hire. Both The Guardian and impACT have identified dozens of such cases where women’s photos are showcased along with their personal details. Additionally, these agencies create short-form, scripted videos, sharing pertinent information alongside details about the financial compensation packages these women might receive.
“The staff force you to put on a hijab, then they film a video of you… If someone likes your profile, they come to the office, and you do a live interview. You have no option; you need a job.” Nia, a domestic migrant worker, to The Guardian.
As is the so often the case, the value of such women is often determined by their race and ethnicity or nationality. Such promotional content boasted on social media platforms, and company websites, signals that employers are charged less for the services of a black maid.
Al Forsan Center, a licensed recruitment body, advertised the fees charged for the hiring of a domestic worker via their services. It is here where we see the monetary value placed on the domestic workers in line with their race and countries of origin. Worse, ‘special offers’ are advertised.
The images enclosed are openly available on the company’s Facebook page, inviting potential employers to comment on those they find appealing. In its desire to market humans as extensively as possible, the company crosses yet more ethical boundaries by publicly sharing the personal information of candidates as marketable quirks. Details like names, ages, marital status, passport numbers, number of children, weight and even descriptions based on complexion. Often people are described as ‘fair’, ‘black’ and so forth.
This process is beyond de-humanising, and demeaning. The display of personal information, photos, and scripted videos of these women on social media platforms not only very clearly undermines the lives of human beings, but indicates that their lives in domestic environments beyond their detention in agencies, will be under the control of someone who knows much of your personal life and access to your most personal information.
The use of social media to market, display and sell individuals into domestic slavery is an egregious reflection of the looming degradation working people will face, but also, the lacklustre protection policies of social media entities.
Over the past decade, minimal progress or change has occurred. In some ways, the situation has deteriorated with the integration of social media into the process. This inclusion of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others has facilitated and exacerbated the exploitation of vulnerable workers. This exploitation occurs with impunity, revealing the failure of both the system and the regulatory bodies to protect these individuals from human rights violations, including modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
The UAE government bears a responsibility to take tangible and actionable measures to safeguard migrant workers. This involves a fundamental reform of existing labour laws, the Kafala system, and increased enforcement of regulators. Stringent penalties for agencies and employers engaged in such exploitative practices should be imposed, and mechanisms for reporting and addressing grievances should be established, ensuring the protection of workers’ rights.
Furthermore, social media platforms like TikTok, Meta, and others must be held accountable for the content they host. They should implement robust algorithms and human oversight to actively detect and remove content associated with potential human trafficking and modern slavery. Policies mandating content moderation specifically to prevent the advertisement of individuals as labour commodities should be established and strictly enforced. Additionally, collaboration between these platforms, law enforcement agencies, and international human rights organisations is crucial to combat such practices effectively.
The international community should also play a role in applying pressure and fostering partnerships to ensure the protection of migrant workers. Multilateral efforts, including oversight and collaboration between countries of origin and destination, are essential to address the transnational nature of this issue.
Ultimately, impACT calls on urgent and concrete action to end these dehumanising practices. Protecting the rights and dignity of these workers should be of top priority, and this necessitates comprehensive legal reforms, stringent enforcement, and responsible actions by both governments and digital giants.