Dozens of Gambian women have travelled to Saudi Arabia to work as domestic workers as part of the government’s effort to build stronger ties with the kingdom with the Middle East’s largest economy.
- Dozens of Gambian women have travelled to Saudi Arabia to work as domestic workers.
- Demand for domestic workers remains high in Saudi Arabia, making up more than a quarter of the total labor force.
- Critics argue that the $200 monthly starting salary in Saudi Arabia is too low and leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
Dozens of Gambian women have travelled to Saudi Arabia to work as domestic workers as part of the government’s effort to build stronger ties with the kingdom with the Middle East’s largest economy.
The development follows an agreement reached between the Gambia and Saudi Arabia during the 2023 Africa-Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia to recruit both domestic and skilled workers from Gambia to Saudi Arabia.
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Outsource Recruitment Agency, a local firm that facilitates employment placements in Saudi Arabia, revealed that 25 women left for Saudi Arabia in February, followed by four more last week.
Rising demand for domestic workers in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, which has traditionally relied on Asian countries such as the Philippines for domestic labour, has increasingly shifted its focus to African nations, including Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, in recent years.
Bloomberg reported that the demand for house staff, including maids, nannies, and drivers, remains high. Domestic workers comprise more than a quarter of Saudi Arabia’s total labour force.
The agreements between the Gambian and Saudi governments outline provisions for fair wages and proper working conditions for migrant workers.
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Concerns over wages and working conditions
Gambian authorities have promoted the $200 monthly starting salary for domestic workers in Saudi Arabia as fair. However, critics argue it is too low and leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
Local recruitment agencies Gambjobs Limited and Outsource have registered 8,139 and 1,335 potential participants, respectively.
However, only 22 individuals have received their visas so far, with an additional 95 applications currently being processed through Musaned, a digital recruitment platform developed by Saudi Arabia to facilitate and regulate the hiring process for domestic workers.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have faced criticism for their treatment of migrant workers, largely due to the kafala system, which grants employers significant control over foreign workers’ legal status.
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In many cases, this system has led to restrictions on workers’ movement, withheld wages, and exploitative conditions.
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the system in Saudi Arabia, describing it as “exploitative.”
Uganda and the Philippines have previously suspended the deployment of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia due to reports of mistreatment, only to later lift the bans after negotiations.
Despite government-led labour agreements, many Gambians are actively seeking opportunities abroad.
According to Jaw, who conducted a 2024 survey, nearly 70% of respondents expressed a desire to emigrate. This trend reflects the country’s economic challenges and the growing reliance on remittances.
In 2024, remittances from Gambians working overseas surpassed tourism revenue, making them the country’s largest source of foreign exchange, contributing 32% of the nation’s GDP.
