Domestic worker abuse in Jordan - research & think twice

I understand that the number of cases where domestic workers are mistreated or gone missing in Jordan is raising. One consulate reported almost 5 serious cases of domestic abuse every week...

Their families and friends back in their countries (now mostly Kenya) are loosing contact with them as soon as they arrive in Amman, given some of them are NOT allowed to have a phone, sim card or internet access by their new employers. They live in poor conditions with no pay. This is modern-day slavery and MUST STOP. 

Therefore, here's some precaution for those with friends and families coming to work in Jordan as domestic workers (or to any other country for that matter):

1. Research, get in touch with your consulate / ambassador's office in Jordan and confirm whether or not there is a ban on importing domestic workers from your country. 

In Kenya, this was banned in 2012!

The Kenyan government stopped sending workers to all Middle East countries because it is investigating its own recruitment agencies for human trafficking" - October 2014.

Go to the links below for more details:

Has Banned Its Citizens From Going To The Middle East For Domestic Work Due To Growing Concerns Abou  Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/middle-e … z3YyDzpl4H

‘Abuse of workers not behind Kenya maid ban’

2. Make sure you have the contact details of the new employer and 'recruiting agent' in advance.  That is, their telephone numbers, physical addresses and copies of their passports BEFORE your loved ones travel.  In the case of a recruiting agent , if genuine or legit, they MUST be registered with the government, so request for their company details (registration no. etc)

3. A copy of the employment contract with clear terms and conditions of employment must be signed and agreed with the domestic worker BEFORE she leaves her home country.  Ensure that the wages stipulated in the contract comply with the minimum wage law of Jordan (i forget what it is... just do your research!)

4. Make sure that before she travels she has a mobile phone (ideally one with internet access) and at least $20 cash. On arrival at the airport she must make sure she buys a sim card and talk-time $20 should be enough for both).  At 'Arrivals'  there is an Airtel /Zain vendor (on the left just after the Starbucks cafe...she needs her passport to do this though).  Perharps at this point it would be wise to hide these from the employer...just in case she is assigned to a slave-driver... But she must have  the number of the respective consulate/ambassador's office in Jordan before hand.

5. Try to register her with your Consulte / Ambassador's office in Jordan.  This will ensure that they have her records (contacts and adddress in Jordan) and are aware that she is the country and for what purposes...

I hope this helps, and if there are any other pointers/tips i might have omitted, feel free to include.

Remember, she is someones' daughter, mother, sister, friend, lover or wife ....... they are people too.

"If you prick us with a pin, don’t we bleed? If you tickle us, don’t we laugh? If you poison us, don’t we die? And if you treat us badly, won’t we try to get revenge? If we’re like you in everything else, we’ll resemble you in that respect" - Shakespear

Let's be kind to one another. Best wishes

Nimo