Lived Experiences of Ethiopian Migrant Domestic Workers Returned from Saudi Arabia: Analysis from Human Rights Perspectives
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Date
2018-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The research was conducted with the objective of analyzing lived experiences of
Ethiopian MDWs from human rights perspectives. To do this, the research applied
qualitative approach and conducted an in-depth , and key informants interviews apart
from the analysis of secondary sources. The research found out that MDWs were
pushed by poverty, and pulled by the attractive stories of better life and salary in
Saudi Arabia. Particularly, unemployment, low family income, and low salary were
the major pushing factors for their migration. The research found out that MDWs had
experienced gross human rights violations and labour rights abuses during and after
the employment periods in Saudi Arabia. Some of the violations and abuses are
categorized under workload without resting period, deprivation of food, unpaid wages
and salary deductions, denial of medical service, sexual harassment, discrimination,
and confinement. As a result, the researcher recommends that as the major labour sending country to GCC countries, including to Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia needs to
revise-the scope and the depth of its bilateral agreement made since 2017. This
bilateral agreement plays a vital role in the enforcement of labour standards, and
protects MDWs from labour abuses and human rights violations. Further, it will
create a common understanding between Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia, and among other
stakeholders who work with migrants such as ILO, IOM, and AU. Finally, the
researcher believed that these findings will be useful to stakeholders whose projects
are related with migration, policymakers, for potential migrants, and to the
community in general.
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Keywords
MDWs, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Human Rights, Labour Rights, Violation