On International Domestic Workers Day, several human rights organizations have addressed a letter to Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia. The letter calls for the recognition and protection of approximately 4 million migrant domestic workers in the country, including 1.2 million women.
The organizations urge Saudi Arabia to provide these workers with equal protection under labor law as part of efforts to end their segregation from society due to restrictions on their freedom of movement. They highlight ongoing issues such as extreme overwork, isolation, degrading living conditions, and various forms of abuse faced by domestic workers.
The letter acknowledges some reforms made by the Saudi government to the kafala sponsorship system under Vision 2030 but notes that many changes did not apply to domestic workers. Consequently, most still require employer permission to change jobs or leave the country.
Despite updated regulations introduced in 2023 aiming at improving working conditions for domestic workers, the organizations argue that without effective enforcement through monitoring and inspection, these measures may remain ineffective.
The absence of an official response from Saudi authorities following previous outreach efforts is noted as concerning by these groups. They emphasize the need for Saudi Arabia to ratify international standards like ILO Domestic Workers Convention no. 189 and ILO Violence and Harassment Convention no. 190.
The organizations stress that while governments in migrants’ countries of origin must also protect those who migrate for work, Saudi Arabia bears primary responsibility for ensuring fair treatment within its borders.
They call on the Saudi government to abolish the kafala system entirely and ensure all migrant workers can change jobs or leave without needing permission from employers. Without comprehensive reforms and robust implementation measures, they warn that abuses against marginalized domestic workers will persist unchecked.
