As noted a few weeks ago, the Saudi Ministry of Labor has proposed that Saudi women take jobs as domestic servants. The idea has met outrage among certain sectors of Saudi society who think Saudi women are too good to be doing that kind of work. Others think that poor Saudi women will be too stupid or ill-mannered to work in their homes. This is just lovely.
This Saudi Gazette article notes that there are those who come to the defense of the idea. Legal work, in their opinions, is honest work and should be acceptable by and to all. There is a poverty problem in Saudi Arabia and widowed or divorced women, with no families to support them, find themselves in great difficulty. But the best intentions of the government—which would rather have people hold jobs to earn incomes rather than simply accept state benefits—has to work against a culture that still finds itself behaving with the arrogance that has served to discredit them. Perhaps a little less pride and a little more charity is in order.
Housewives Say no to the Idea of Saudi Maids
Zakiyah Ibrahim FallataOUTRAGED Saudi citizens rejected the proposal of the Ministry of Labor that needy Saudi women be employed as housemaids.
“I refuse to employ Saudi women since our country is prospering,” said Azza Bakr, sociology teacher in a secondary school. “We don’t need Saudi employees inside houses.”
The Ministry of Labor made a proposal last week following the decision of the Philippine and Indonesian governments to increase the monthly wages of housemaids coming from their countries.
It suggested that Saudi housemaids be called “home managers” under contracts to be monitored by the Ministry of Social Affairs. Their estimated salaries will be SR1,500-SR1,800. They will only work inside houses at certain hours during the day.
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July:04:2007 - 09:33
Some Saudis think the proposal might be amenable if with certain conditions.
“Families should guarantee that Saudi housemaids are not sexually abused, are not allowed to stay overnight, and are watched over by the housewife,” said Suhila Zain Al-Abideen, of Human Rights Association.
That makes me sick: that it’s accepted by the “independent” National Human Rights Association that non-Saudi housemaids are subject to sexual abuse with the clear implication that they think this is acceptable because the maids are not Saudis.
July:05:2007 - 10:24
It surely does not shine a favorable light on Saudi society.
July:05:2007 - 11:37
The assault of housekeepers in Saudi is, in some families, a rite of passage.
Although it can hardly be said to be just a Saudi issue. Domestic and foreign workers are very badly treated all over the Middle East.
July:05:2007 - 12:23
That’s a sad truth. I’m sure it would take a multi-year psychological study to determine why that is.
July:16:2007 - 09:09
i think that there is poverty in Saudi Arabia and inorder to solve it, the society must accept that working as a housekeeper is a honest job that provide money for those who need it. after all, it’s better than begging in the streets.
August:01:2007 - 08:11
I have been monitoring these mindless un civilised people. They are thick and the most inhuman in my eyes.
May Alah teach them a lesson for abusing fellow human beings from foreign countries. That will hapen soon.
August:01:2007 - 15:54
What is the difference between a Saudi maid and or an Ethiopian, Philipino, Thailandi, Egyptian, ar whatever nationality Maid?? Nothing indeed, a servant position is just a decent job that people without the necessary skills must not be ashamed of doing….It is a job that will pay you a salary and Saudi women are the same as any woman in the world in the eyes of Allah!! Why do Saudi women feel superior to others?? They must wake up and realize that they are the same and that their nationality does not mean that they are better than other nationalities in the eyes of Allah… So “YES” it is okay for them to hold such jobs!!!!
August:01:2007 - 16:36
I believe that Saudi women take for granted what Allah has given them. If they are able and healthy to work as maids then they should feel proud to be able to help themselves and their families as well. Nothing lasts forever and if their husbands or the circumstances have left them with no financial support then they should appreciate and be satisfied that their government is granting them the opportunity to step up and do something for themselves as working women so that they may be better individuals in whatever community they become a part of. I strongly support The Saudi Ministry and I know that the government’s good intentions will be highly beneficial to the people as well as to the massive prosperity and the well being of this country.
August:30:2007 - 09:00
I wish that their plan will be implemented as soon as possible. so that there’s no one foriegner will be abused and raped by the saudi national,
i dont think if they could do also the maltreatment to their same blood, if they hired saudi national woman as a housekeeper.
actually most of the days, hours and every places in saudi arabia have mosque to do their prayers, but as you know within the whole world that saudi nationals still doing bad raped housemaids, abused housemaids, killed housemaids and so on