A new report by Amnesty International reveals widespread abuse, exploitation, and discrimination faced by Kenyan women employed as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. Based on interviews with over 70 women, the report outlines conditions that often amount to forced labour and human trafficking.
Titled “Locked in, Left Out: The Hidden Lives of Kenyan Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia,” the report details how women were lured with false promises by recruiters in Kenya and subjected to gruelling work, often exceeding 16-hour days without rest or days off. Many endured physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, lived in poor conditions, and were denied access to food, wages, and communication with their families.
According to Amnesty, employers regularly confiscated passports and phones, severely restricting the women’s freedom. The Kafala sponsorship system, which binds workers to employers, remains in place and is a key factor enabling these abuses. Although Saudi Arabia has introduced some reforms under its Vision 2030 initiative, domestic workers remain excluded from labour law protections and are often left vulnerable to exploitation.
The report also highlights systemic racism, with women describing being subjected to racial slurs and dehumanizing treatment. One former worker shared that children in the household mocked her skin color, calling her a “monkey.”
Despite Saudi Arabia introducing updated domestic worker regulations in 2023, Amnesty argues that without proper enforcement and oversight, these protections are ineffective. Most violations described are already illegal under Saudi law but continue to occur with impunity.
Amnesty called on Saudi authorities to extend full labour protections to domestic workers, establish effective inspection systems, and dismantle the Kafala system. The Kenyan government was urged to improve recruitment oversight and provide stronger support for citizens working abroad, including safe houses and legal assistance.
Currently, around 4 million domestic workers are employed in Saudi Arabia—150,000 of them from Kenya. With growing unemployment at home, Kenyan officials have encouraged labour migration to the Gulf, but Amnesty emphasizes the need for both governments to ensure the safety and dignity of migrant workers.
