A housemaid hold a phone while at Dubai Mall with her sponsor. Pawan Singh / The National
A housemaid hold a phone while at Dubai Mall with her sponsor. Pawan Singh / The National

Should domestic workers be allowed a mobile? Study says yes but some employers say no



Domestic workers should have access to a mobile phone to contact family at their discretion, a new study has concluded.

The study of Ethiopian maids published last month in the journal Globalisation and Health said this link to families and the outside world was vital and maids said they should carry a phone whether their employers liked it or not.

As one worker put it: “If you have mobile phone you can call the police or the agency whenever you come across any challenges. If you don’t have a mobile phone, how can you call someone to help you? Your employer can abuse you the way she wants.”

Maids who have returned to Ethiopia from the Gulf and took part in the study advised new workers buy a local SIM card at the airport when they arrived in their country of employment and hide the phone from employers.

RELATED: Prospective Gulf domestic workers offered advice from seasoned maids

However, at the agency district in Ras Al Khaimah, potential employers were sceptical of the suggestion that domestic staff had a right to carry a phone.

“My uncle had an Ethiopian maid and she had a phone and she contacted a man and she fled,” said a 30-year-old Emirati employer, Fatema, who did not want to give her last name. “My uncle lost lots of money.”

Another employer, Abdulla Mohammed, said trust had to be earnt.

“People who have phones, after one or two months, they leave, so it has to be like that,” said Mr Mohammed, an Emirati in his late forties from Sharjah who employs two domestic workers.  “At first no, we don’t give a phone but we can after we see how she works. I don’t know why people leave.”

Many believe the phone is a distraction.

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“If the housemaids have a cell phone, they’re not able to work,” said Rahel Atsbha, an Ethiopian who works in domestic staff placement at the Al Ahlia Labour Supply Services agency. “They’re busy with Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp. That’s when the madame gets angry. The important thing is clothes, food and that two times a week they call the family.”

Josephine Pia, 36, a Filipina maid who has worked in the Gulf for more than five years, said a phone was essential. “It’s very important because they are my family,” said Ms Pia. “They love us and we love them. That’s why I’m here, because of them.”

Ms Pia has worked for almost three years in RAK, following a two-year contract in Saudi Arabia and a short period in Qatar, where she chose not to finish her contract.

“The employer should be understanding [of] the rights of the housemaid,” she said. “If they understand this, then we will have a good relationship.”

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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed

Schedule:

Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
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Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

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Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha

Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude

Holiday destination: Sri Lanka

First car: VW Golf

Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters

Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars

The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid 

Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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City's slump

L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
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Name: Almnssa
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Based: Gaza
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Need to know

The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours. 

The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.

When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend  are  January-February and September-October.  Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.

Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Brief scores:

Toss: Nepal, chose to field

UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23

Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17

Result: UAE won by 21 runs

Series: UAE lead 1-0

Profile of Tarabut Gateway

Founder: Abdulla Almoayed

Based: UAE

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 35

Sector: FinTech

Raised: $13 million

Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.