Indonesian expats banned form working in 21 Middle East countries

Published:  13 May at 4 PM
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Tagged: Moving, Australia, UAE
Due to claims of legal and human rights violations, Indonesia has placed a ban on new maids from moving to and working in 21 countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia and UAE in protest against working conditions.

When Saudi Arabia executed two Indonesian maids with no warning, it angered the world’s largest Muslim country.

Hanif Dhakiri, the Minister of Manpower, told the media that this decision was made in line with the order made in February from President Joko Widodo to try to eventually stop letting Indonesian women to work as domestic helpers abroad.

Also included in the blacklisted countries are Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon, Iran, Morocco, Libya, Oman, Mauritania, Palestine, Pakistan, Syria, South Sudan, Yemen, Tunisia and Jordan.

It will take three months for the ban to come into effect however the 1.4 million Indonesian maids who already work in these 21 countries will not be included and will be able to renew their current contracts.

Dharkiri added that a factor taken into consideration when making the policy decision was last month’s execution of Siti Zaenab and Karni who were working as maids in Saudi Arabia, even though Indonesia itself has executed seven foreigners regarding their countries protests. He told Antrara that the situation regarding migrants working as domestic helpers has led to problems such as human rights and labour violations.
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