CAIRO: The Kenyan government has barred its citizens from becoming domestic workers in the Middle East, notably the Gulf region, after an increasing number of reports of violence and abuse have been reported. Women from the country have returned to Kenya with horror stories of sexual violence at the hands of the employers, mainly in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Kenyan foreign affairs ministry said that Kenyans have been used by “unscrupulous agents” who promise non-existent jobs. It added that it will now vet all agents recruiting housekeepers and maids, according to a BBC News report. Until the new rules are ready, Kenyan citizens are barred from seeking work in the Middle East as domestic workers. Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia sent a team to Kenya to discuss the issue. The Saudi government insisted their laws protect foreign workers. Maids from across the globe often complain of horrible treatment in the Gulf, singling out Saudi Arabia as the main culprit of violations, including rape and sexual abuse. “They are treated like slaves and it is horrible," Maria, a Filipina maid, who asked that her surname remain anonymous, told Bikyamasr.com earlier this year in Jakarta. “They have been beaten, tortured and raped by their Saudi employers and the government does nothing, so why would we consider going there?" ** Alisha Hassan contributed to this report.
