A popular blogger from Kuwait
posted a video blog on social media on 22 July 2018 complaining about new government regulations allowing domestic workers from the Philippines to have one day off a week and to keep possession of their passports at all times. Employers of domestic workers from abroad had previously been allowed to treat their staff as virtual slaves. New regulations came into effect after a "
Memorandum of Understanding" was signed by the Kuwaiti and Philippine governments in May 2018, as reported by the Manilla Bulletin on 23 July 2018.
Michael Bosch, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "Around 200,000 Filipinos are employed as domestic workers in Kuwait, many of whom are Christians. There had been a stand-off between both governments after the body of a
Philippine housemaid was found in a freezer, as reported by The Telegraph in 29 April 2018. The new regulations aim at improving the conditions of Philippine domestic workers in Kuwait; however, the female blogger expressed her concern that employers are now at a disadvantage and risk losing thousands of US dollars if their employees simply walk off, since they are obliged to invest last sums in employment arrangements prior to being allowed to employ staff."
Michael Bosch continues: "Previously, under the
kafala system, domestic workers were not allowed to keep possession of their passports. This appears to have changed now in Kuwait, although it has to be seen if the regulations are obeyed and enforced. There are no official figures, but abuse of domestic workers is widespread in the Gulf countries, especially where they are tied to their employers who keep their passports under lock and key. It is to be hoped that the new regulations in Kuwait are an example for the whole region and that similar rights will be granted in all Gulf countries for all foreign domestic workers."
