Alyaum
Frankly speaking, I regret writing about this issue again. I have written many articles about it and so have several of my colleagues. Although the majority of Saudis are forgiving and tolerant and love to give charity to help the underprivileged, many tend to treat expatriate workers unfairly.
We must realize that the progress and prosperity of a nation depend on it respecting the rights of human beings and protecting and upholding these rights regardless of race, color, language or nationality. The rights of human beings should be respected at all times. Our history and forefathers instilled these values in our minds. If we were to take a quick walk down history lane, we would discover that Muslims always had good relations with other nations. History bears witness to this fact. However, some people still, unfortunately, treat domestic workers as if they were inferior.
The first thing we should do is to change the Arabic words we use for the words “housemaid” and “driver” and replace them with proper nouns that are respectful. This is one of the basic rights of domestic workers. We can use words such as assistant, helper, etc. I do not understand why many members of the public insist on using names that have racist connotations.
What about the duty hours of domestic workers, which in some cases exceed 16 hours a day? Some people need to understand that domestic workers are human beings and need rest and sleep. They also need to have breaks and days off. It is sad that some families take advantage of their housemaids and make them do multiple tasks simultaneously. Believe it or not, some housemaids clean the house, take care of children, cook food and do other tasks.
Most housemaids cannot perform all of these tasks at once. Besides, not all of these tasks are included in their work agreements and housemaids are not required to perform them all. I am almost certain that one of the reasons that housemaids and drivers run away is because of unfair treatment.
We all have duties and important roles to play. We should show the world the real positive image and generosity of Saudi people. The only way to do that is by treating domestic workers kindly and, more importantly, with respect.
