Expat rights delight
Arab Times, Wednesday, April 19, 2006
By Dr Samar Rashdan Al-Roomi
WITHIN GCC countries, many expats (especially laborers and domestic help) end up being physically, emotionally, and/or financially abused, while their transgressors roam free and continue their abusive ways. Please note that many of these abusers also abuse their spouse and children).
Many expats (understandably) would like things to change and to become part of that change. This, however, is currently only a whimsical dream in Kuwait. What is only a dream in Kuwait, nevertheless, is a growing reality in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain.
In the UAE, human rights protection growingly knows no boundaries. According to an article published in a March edition of the UAE Gulf News, discrimination in the UAE is a thing of the past. Leaders of the country's first human rights group (consisting of a seven-person council, three of which are women) are planning to work with local authorities and international organizations to stop human rights abuses. More important is the fact that expats will be included as associate members of this council. The chairman is quoted as saying that "We have to address aspects in the country (that) we are not comfortable with such as human trafficking, the issues of housemaids, and unpaid workers... I think the government has approved the creation of our group, because they are convinced something needs to be done about these issues." Another council member remarked how such issues make the UAE look bad internationally.
Like the UAE, Bahrain has sought to increasingly protect the human rights of expats. Bahrain and the UAE are the only two GCC countries to form such human rights organizations, which have transparently opened themselves to international scrutiny. According to a March article in Bahrain's Gulf Daily News, Bahrain police immediately arrest Bahraini citizens accused of expat maltreatment (often at the request of foreign embassies) and Bahraini courts are beginning to prosecute citizens of such mistreatment.
Is Kuwait going to be the next GCC country to step to the fore and make such drastically modern human rights changes? Let's hope...
Many expats (understandably) would like things to change and to become part of that change. This, however, is currently only a whimsical dream in Kuwait. What is only a dream in Kuwait, nevertheless, is a growing reality in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain.
In the UAE, human rights protection growingly knows no boundaries. According to an article published in a March edition of the UAE Gulf News, discrimination in the UAE is a thing of the past. Leaders of the country's first human rights group (consisting of a seven-person council, three of which are women) are planning to work with local authorities and international organizations to stop human rights abuses. More important is the fact that expats will be included as associate members of this council. The chairman is quoted as saying that "We have to address aspects in the country (that) we are not comfortable with such as human trafficking, the issues of housemaids, and unpaid workers... I think the government has approved the creation of our group, because they are convinced something needs to be done about these issues." Another council member remarked how such issues make the UAE look bad internationally.
Like the UAE, Bahrain has sought to increasingly protect the human rights of expats. Bahrain and the UAE are the only two GCC countries to form such human rights organizations, which have transparently opened themselves to international scrutiny. According to a March article in Bahrain's Gulf Daily News, Bahrain police immediately arrest Bahraini citizens accused of expat maltreatment (often at the request of foreign embassies) and Bahraini courts are beginning to prosecute citizens of such mistreatment.
Is Kuwait going to be the next GCC country to step to the fore and make such drastically modern human rights changes? Let's hope...
Email: samaralroomi@yahoo.com
posted by Ben Rivard @ 1:09 PM
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