Qatar continues to neglect the violence on domestic workers

 It has been over a decade that allegations on Qatar over neglecting the health and safety of domestic workers and it was only in the year 2017 that Qatar passed a law to safeguard the interests of these workers but does it make any difference?

There are tons of media reports that have suggested that Qatar is doing nothing to prevent this treatment towards domestic employers. In a report by Amnesty International , close to 40 women have on record said that they have faced physical and verbal abuse. The extent of these abuses includes degrading treatment, shouting and insults.

One of the domestic workers said, “Madam will say ‘[you are] a monster, I will cut your tongue’. I am scared. She will tell me ‘I will kill you’, always bad words. I am only a [maid], and I can’t do anything.”

Atrocities like spitting, beating, kicking and punching are way too common in these households, said another worker. “Madam started shouting at all [the maids]… she started spitting on us and slapped me again… Before this incident she also kicked me on my back.”

The problem is that even if they complain to the police or go asking for help, it is the house workers who are blamed instead of their employers. One such case was of a woman who was sexually abused by one of the relatives of her employer. The man had offered money to this woman to keep her mouth shut but she denied and went to the police. The police, instead of lodging a complaint, blamed the women for making up stories.

Qatar has miserably failed in identifying the employers who are feeling entitled enough to do such atrocious acts on the domestic workers. These women have been living in hell for the longest time just because of their financial situation that has forced them to work and survive in any condition. Some women are working for their children, some are working because they have to survive in this world.

There are a lot of problems these workers go through when they complain against their employers. Their passports are confiscated, wages are unpaid and many other problems arise with it. This is why they prefer not to lodge complaints.

Going through all of this while working in a terrible atmosphere is very well known by the Qatari officials but what is shocking is the fact that they are doing nothing to prevent it. Merely making a law for the sake of it but not ensuring whether it has been actually implemented or not, is threatening the community of these domestic workers.