The Heat discusses the abuse of migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates

The Heat

Thousands of people seeking work and the chance to help their families are migrating to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but human rights groups said the UAE and other Gulf nations must do more to protect these workers from abuse and exploitation.

The United Nations was investigating claims of abuse of migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates. The move by the U.N.’s International Labor Organization comes after a complaint brought by the International Trade Union Confederation. The complaint said migrants hired for construction and domestic work are increasingly becoming trapped in exploitative practices.

Gulf nations, including the UAE, recently agreed to measures to improve working and living conditions for migrant workers. An estimated 15 million people, which is a majority from Asia, are employed in the Gulf.

Marelie Brua, a 24-year-old woman, left the Philippines last year in hopes of supporting her family and saving money for college, but she said her employer in the UAE treated her horribly.

The Heat interviewed Brua from Manila to share her story.

A report issued by Human Rights Watch found widespread abuse of immigrant domestic workers in the United Arab Emirates. The organization said domestic workers are vulnerable to various abuses, including the confiscation of their passports, 21-hour workdays and no days off.

The Heat invited a panel of experts to discuss the plight of thousands of migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates.

    • Rothna Begum, a women’s rights researcher for the Middle East and North Africa region with Human Rights Watch.
    • Dr. N. Janardhan, Independent Political Analyst and Honorary Fellow of the University of Exeter.

The United Nations launched an investigation after the organization, Human Rights Watch, found domestic workers are beaten, exploited and trapped in forced labor. The foreign ministry of the UAE said laws were in place to protect migrant workers in areas of recruitment, pay, housing and health care.

To discuss more on the role of migrant workers, The Heat talked to Francis Matthew. He is the editor-at-large of Gulf News, a journalist who’s covered the Gulf for more than 30 years.