Abdulrazzaq Al-Azazi
"In Kuwait, there is a
particular interest in the rights of migrant workers which reflects the
general trend to preserve human dignity, without exception, and to
respect all the international conventions and agreements signed by
Kuwait. The most prominent of these concerns is the Shelter Center for
Migrant Labor of the Ministry of affairs," said by the lawyer Mohammed
Thaar Al Otaibi - Director of Training and development Center of Kuwait
Society for human rights.
While praising what the Center
does in supporting the rights of workers, Al Otaibi said, "It's more
than just a center. Its capacity is of five hundred female inmates. It
was built according to international standards to care of female workers
who suffer from problems with their employers, to become one of the
most important centers in the region." .
In the middle of the current
May, Kuwait Society for Human Rights has conducted a workshop entitled
(The crime of human trafficking and its impact on societal security)
during which several recommendations were raised including a visit to
the Shelter Center for Migrant Labor. As a result the Society organized a
joint visit to the Center in collaboration with the Global Alliance
Against Trafficking in Women GAATW, National Movement for Domestic Labor
- India, National Fund for workers' welfare - India, the Arabic network
for immigrant rights (ANMR) and Solidarity Center.
Receiving the delegation
Mr. Falah Mazid Al Mutairi -
Chairman of the Shelter Center for Migrant Labor - greeted the visiting
delegation which is of lawyer Mohammed Thaar Al Otaibi - Director of
Development and Training Centre, lawyer Athra'a Al Rifai - Head of the
Complaints Committee in the Society, Mr. Sahl Al Gunaid – The projects
and programs manager in the Society, Dr. Zainab Al Maraj - Chairperson
of the family committee at the National Association of Domestic Security
"Rawasy", Mr. Abdul Rahman Noman Al Turki – Coordinator of labor
solidarity Center in Kuwait, Ms. Amy Testa – Programs officer of access
to justice in the Global Alliance against trafficking in Women, as well
as representatives from the National Movement for Domestic Labor and the
National Fund for workers' welfare.
Together with the work team of
the Centre, Al Mutairi provided a detailed explanation for the
delegation after meeting them with a standing ovation. He told them
about the Center sections and gave them the opportunity to hold
collective and individual meetings with the inmates, in addition to
informing them about the Center's professional work and its role in
protecting workers' rights.
Al Mutairi spoke with full
transparency about the Center and how it is trying to protect human
rights according to the statement of lawyer Mohammed Thaar Al Otaibi -
Director of Development and Training Centre in Kuwait Society for Human
Rights. Some female workers are exposed to actions that violate their
rights as workers and as a human being. It was necessary for the State
of Kuwait to take positions against violators through the Shelter Center
and provided female workers with a shelter until their problems are
resolved.
The Shelter Center for Migrant Labor
Administratively, the Shelter
follows the Public Authority for Labor Force of the Ministry of Social
Affairs. It contains offices of the concerned government agencies such
as ministries of interior, foreign affairs, and justice in addition to a
clinic for the Ministry of Health that works around the clock.
The reader may wonder, "How
are the inmates received in the Shelter Center?" The way is not
complicated. The female inmate just advances personally with a shelter
request or she is forwarded by her embassy or one of the organizations
or the Ministry of Interior. She should be over twenty years old, and
then she has medical, security and legal examinations.
"Then?" Nothing .. if she is
not suffering from any infectious disease or a criminal problem, she
becomes an inmate. Then her employer is called, and if he is holding her
passport, the administration intervene to deliver the passport. If the
inmate asked to travel, he is compelled to bring her a ticket. And in
the case of suspected human trafficking, the case is referred to the
management of public decency protection and human trafficking for
investigation and then is referred to the prosecution, as it happened in
similar cases.
"What does happen to the
inmate inside the Center?" She gets permanent supervision and follow-up
by qualified specialists. There are a social supervisor, a psychological
supervisor and a legal scholar doing the permanent follow-up since the
entry of inmate of the shelter until she leaves.
"What do the intimates get?"
According to lawyer Athra'a Al Rifai - Head of the Complaints Committee
in Kuwait Society for Human Rights, the inmates have access to full
comfort and comprehensive services: Air Conditioned and clean rooms,
good food, tea break, a large resting room contains a TV, adequate
lighting, a theater to implement events; especially in the national
holidays and celebrations of New year in collaboration with the
communities, personal and health requirements, and in pathological
cases, surgeries are carried out, besides psychological and social
rehabilitation.
"What else?" Even more.
According to Al Rifai, there is a special center to train the female
workers on handicrafts where raw materials are available. At the Center,
the inmates have the right go in and out at any time and in order to
prevent any unexpected problems, the Center corridors are equipped with
cameras for the inmates' safety.
"What if the female worker has
children?" Quoting remarks of lawyer Al Rifai, who was one of the
members of the visiting delegation that there is no worries about that.
Even with lack of private nurseries for women who have children, the
Center's administration has made separate rooms for them.
"Are there any other important
remarks caught the attention of the visiting delegation?" Yes. The
inmates are not forced to wear hijab and they practice their religious
rituals freely. There is a section allocated for prayers and another
section in the Center for other groups to practice their religious
rituals, according to Al Rifai.
In addition to all of the
above, the Center checks if the domestic worker was exposed to beat. In
the case of confirmation, the case is referred to the Human trafficking
department in the Ministry of internal. There is also a general
direction to have Human Rights Office in the Center, according to Al
Rifai's press statement, " I observed also a list of instructions of the
inmates' rights in Arabic and English and the Society in collaboration
with the Center will translate it into several languages fit different
nationalities of the inmates."
According to Al Rifai, the
Center has six private cars with a large bus for mass transit. In
addition, there are communities representatives on a voluntary basis as a
contribution in providing translation services. And she stresses,
"During our visit, the number of inmates was up to 355 but the staff
treatment with them at the Center was "high refinement ".
Sense of responsibility:
Mr. Abdul Rahman Noman Al
Turki - Coordinator of Labor Solidarity Center and a member of the
visiting delegation praised what the Center does to support the rights
of workers, touch their pain and advance their cases, which proves the
existence of a sense of responsibility among those in charge of the
Center.
He praised the role of the
Center, the welfare and different services offered for the inmates. And
that makes it one of the important centers that provides better
humanitarian standards since it includes all residency requirements and
that assures the inmate till the amendment of her situation without
insulting her and without costs.
On the other hand, Ms. Amy -
Officer of access to justice programs said that the Global Alliance
Against Trafficking in Women – which is an Alliance includes more than
100 non-governmental organizations from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin
America, the Caribbean and North America working on the subject of human
trafficking, migration and Women's rights - encourages the efforts of
the Kuwaiti government in the provision of a shelter and social
assistance to migrant workers who have been abused.
She added, "We are aware of
the difficulties and challenges faced by affected migrants workers and
the importance of recognizing the different needs of the victims,
including access to various services. We are grateful for giving us the
opportunity to interact with the Shelter management and staff to learn
more about migrant workers' experiences. And it is a reminder of the
important role that the government plays in the recognition of the
rights of all the migrant workers in Kuwait and protect them. We hope to
see a greater cooperation between the various ministries involved in
the operation and support of the Shelter, as well as with civil society
organizations, including the countries of origin. "
Final observations
The visiting delegation found
it necessary to strengthen cooperation and coordination in a direction
that contributes to the upgrading of workers' rights in Kuwait. It was
necessary for them to submit suggestions for the Center to assure mutual
cooperation. And since there is no cultural library and a web site for
the Center, the Kuwait Society for Human Rights will work in
collaboration with other associations to provide the library and the
website and other things that will contribute to the upgrading of this
noble humanitarian work.
The delegation found that the
number of the Centre's staff is 17 male and female employees. The Center
needs more employees, and the delegation wishes that the Ministry of
Social Affairs will provide a greater number of employees and specially
female researchers, calling on to open the door for anyone who wants to
volunteer to help.
At the end of the visit,
Kuwait Society for Human Rights offered a sincere appreciation for the
Center which cares about human rights. It is considered one of the most
prominent centers that cares about the rights of workers exposed to
violation. The Society praised the staff working at the Centre, headed
by Mr. Falah Mazid Al Mutairi, who runs the team with the spirit of a
leader who possess humanity first and cooperation second in terms of the
opportunity for the delegation to visit and see the Center and its
various services and departments.
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