Joint Submission Report to CEDAW: The Human Rights Situation of Migrant Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia
This report presents two joint submissions prepared for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), highlighting the human rights challenges faced by migrant domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.
Part 1 is a joint submission by the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) and our member Sema Nami. This section addresses the discrimination and challenges migrant workers face under the kafala system, the exclusion of domestic workers from recent labour reforms, and the introduction of a new domestic worker law. It offers recommendations to end nationality-based discrimination, abolish restrictive exit permit laws, and provide interpreters and legal aid, among others.
Part 2 is a joint submission by our member Tarangini Foundation and GAATW, focusing on similar issues and reinforcing the call for comprehensive reform. Key recommendations include the inclusion of domestic workers in labour law, establishing a fair minimum wage, enforcing prohibitions on passport confiscation and recruitment fees, and strengthening support systems for migrant workers.
Read the full report here for detailed analysis and recommendations aimed at safeguarding the rights of migrant domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, Mary Mugo from Sema Nami made her statement during the CEDAW Saudi Arabia session in Geneva. You can watch her intervention here at the 25 minutes 45 seconds mark.