Bassam Al-Shammari, a specialist in domestic labor affairs, has highlighted the challenges facing the domestic labor sector, primarily disruptions in labor supply from countries that typically export this workforce. He emphasized that the lack of a well-defined strategy following the transfer of recruitment regulation responsibilities in 2018 exacerbated these challenges.
Al-Shammari pinpointed the absence of adequate studies and data as a barrier to resolving the crisis, which had persisted since 1992. He criticized the frequent turnover of leadership within government agencies, attributing it to a lack of understanding of the complexities involved. Al-Shammari acknowledged successful approaches adopted by neighboring countries and emphasized the vital role domestic workers play in Kuwaiti society, reports Al-Rai daily.
In an article published on Sept 4, 2023, by the Editor-in-Chief of the Al-Rai newspaper Walid Al-Jassim under the title ‘Addressing the Domestic Worker Crisis: Proposals for Change’, he proposed to either abolish the sponsorship system or make it optional.
Khaled Al-Dakhnan, the head of the Union of Domestic Workers Office Owners, expressed support for abolishing the sponsorship system, citing the successful application of the classified companies system in Saudi Arabia.
He emphasized the benefits of corporate sponsorship, including enhanced control, prevention of human trafficking, and the potential for citizens to benefit from reduced costs and improved worker replacement mechanisms.
Concurrently, Al-Jassim also advocated for the establishment of companies like the “Durra” Company, involving respected offices, to sponsor numerous domestic workers. Under this model, labor contracts would be directly signed with these companies, which would then assume responsibility for all aspects related to domestic workers.
Al-Jassim elucidated the responsibilities of these companies, stating, “Their duties would encompass bringing in workers and overseeing all administrative processes, such as medical examinations, residency permits and opening bank accounts for this category of workers. They would guarantee workers’ rights, ensure salaries are paid on time, facilitate vacations, and handle travel arrangements, leaving no room for accusations against sponsors.”
Experts and concerned parties in the employment sector endorsed this proposal. It has already been implemented in neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, proving potential benefits. The anticipated advantages include a reduced financial burden on citizens employing domestic workers and savings in public expenditures related to domestic labor affairs.
This is in addition to abolishing the sponsorship system was also viewed favorably on an international scale, aligning with demands from organizations such as the United Nations.
Al-Shammari has pointed out to the overlapping of competencies in government agencies in the domestic worker file and the intertwining of their tasks, which led to the difficulty of coordination and cooperation to end the problems of this file such as:
— The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must handle memorandums of understanding and international agreements.
— The Ministry of Commerce must supervise recruitment costs and sets prices.
— The Ministry of Interior, which is responsible for residency affairs, issuing visas, must report absence, and manage deportation.
— The Public Authority for Manpower, which regulates the recruitment of domestic workers, must supervise the labor shelter center.
Al-Shammari has suggested the following 7 solutions that would resolve the domestic worker issue:
— Spreading cultural awareness regarding employment laws among the parties to the equation (sponsors, workers, owners of recruitment companies and offices, and workers in government agencies).
— Joint cooperation between the private and governmental sectors in developing positive solutions, commensurate with the nature of the exporting countries.
— Signing memorandums of understanding with several countries exporting domestic workers, in line with the demographics plan.
— Developing new activities that keep pace with progress and changes in urban expansion and modern business methods, such as working on annual, monthly, or daily contracts and hours.
— Benefiting from the experiences of neighboring countries in this field, especially the Saudi model and the Bahraini model, which are considered the closest to what is required.
— Establishing an approved mechanism to resolve labor disputes regarding entitlements and all rights stipulated in the contract and the special law regarding domestic workers.
— Activating the role of the labor shelter center to eliminate labor shelters in embassies.
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