LESS QUALIFIED BUT MOST AT RISK-OUR DAUGHTERS TALES

It is estimated that over 2.3 million domestic workers are hired in the middle-east.Lured by good wages for those with minimal qualifications,young women prepare and leave for the middle-east to work as domestic workers.

In the recent past we have had a number of women who have come to share their experiences from the time they take off the international Airport in the capital -Nairobi. As reported by the Business insider magazine on 22, The horror stories that foreign domestic workers bring back from the Middle East have become notorious.One woman returned with 24 nails and needles in her body. Another woman came back with a broken wrist. Some walked out of the plane completely wrapped in bandages(http://www.businessinsider.com/middle-east-domestic-servants).Other young women who have gone through agents in Nairobi to the middle have had to die in unknown circumstances cutting short the dreams and hopes of the families left behind.

The insider noted that the BBC reported on the step that the government took to address the issue-Kenya imposed a ban on its citizens from traveling to the Middle East in search of domestic work.The domestic workers or others that had secured employment received the news with mixed reactions. some felt they still needed the jobs amidst the tough conditions. others were hesitant to comment while others seemed not to be moved by the shared experiences of horror. The step taken by the government could be short lived. But the question i have with me is, if people with minimal qualifications are threatened, and yet they offer services which would otherwise benefit the country, what measures will the government put in place to ensure that an alternative is found for the 2.3 or more young women who seek employment in order to earn a living for themselves and family? The issue of domestic workers experiences aired on Kenyan TV screens is very touching. I hope women organizations in the country will advocate for empowerment of these less qualified but useful young women who are at risk. this will go along way preventing exploitation and endangering of their lives within the country and outside. The horror calls for action since our daughters experiences are gender, advocacy, rights and diplomatic issues that concerted efforts must address.