MPs condemn government’s export of domestic workers to the Middle East

Middle East

Members of Parliament have condemned government for overlooking the parliament resolution which banned the export of domestic workers. The speaker of parliament said that government is exporting domestic workers to Saudi Arabia yet it will not be able to supervise them. She questioned whether government is filling the gaps of countries which have stopped supplying domestic workers to the Middle East.

MPs  who include  Bernard Atiku Beatrice Anywar  said that girls are taken out as sex slaves though they are recruited  for doing other work. The woman MP for Kitgum District, Beatrice Anywar, said that, women should stand and protest the issue of subjecting girls to sex trade in other countries so as the dignity of women is restored. Anywar said that government is ignoring companies that are exporting women as sex slaves yet these companies are owned by government officials.

The Member of Parliament for Budadiri West, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, testified before parliament that Ugandan girls in Dubai who were taken as domestic workers are used as sex slaves for dogs. The opposition Chief Whip Cecilia Ogwal said that Ugandan women are being exported under the watchful eye of the Government.

However the Minister of State for planning David Bahati said that government, through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, will table before parliament on Wednesday this week  the Memorandum of understanding signed between Saudi Arabia and government over export of labour.

Parliament in 2014, after numerous complaints of mistreating domestic workers in foreign countries especially women, banned any further export of domestic workers and it seems government did not take this as binding since parliament resolutions to government are entirely advisory.

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