Kingdom’s career women search for extra Ramadan housemaids

As Ramadan draws near, many working women begin the relentless search for housemaids, focusing mainly on illegal workers.

Sawsan, a service representative at a local company, told Arab News: “During the holy month, there are extra demands such as cooking, cleaning and entertaining visitors.
“It is very difficult for me to accomplish all that is required and report to work daily without extra household help.”

She stated that she already has a maid, but has been searching for a second one for three weeks to no avail.
“Most maids I have spoken to usually ask for SR 1,000 to SR 1,200, but now want at least SR 3,000 for the month if cooking is included and SR 2,500 if only cleaning is required.

“This is a very high price as my salary is only SR 4,500.”

Due to the opportunities to earn a fat paycheck, often triple what they usually make, many maids deliberately wait until Ramadan to run away from their sponsors.

Some families, afraid of losing their domestic workers, even resort to locking the maids inside during Ramadan.

Enas, a Saudi doctor at a government hospital, said: “I have experienced problems in the past with runaway maids, especially during Ramadan.

“This is why I began locking all the outside doors and have barred the windows to create a secure environment and keep the maid from running away when I am at work and during the night.” She added the maid is free to move about the home as she pleases, but she cannot go outside.

When asked why she thinks locking the maid in is acceptable, she replied: “I feel I have the right to do what is necessary since I am the sponsor responsible for the housemaid.

“If she runs away I will be the one who has to pay the extra charges and burdened with extra household chores.

“I will also have to wait months before a replacement can be recruited.”

The pool of illegal maids is believed to have dwindled this year due to tighter restrictions on Umrah visas, often used by foreigners to gain access to the Kingdom for employment purposes.

This is in addition to the Kingdom’s ban on the recruitment of domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia implemented last year.

According to the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), sponsors of runaway maids can be fined up to SR 10,000 and the maid deported if caught by local authorities.
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Saudi girls impress NZ women

A cultural program recently organized by Saudi girl students in Wellington impressed New Zealanders as it removed their misconceptions about Saudi women and their achievements.

Nineteen Saudi girls took part in the program, which explained the various roles and aspects of Saudi women.

New Zealand women who attended the program called for organizing such events at least twice a year.
Erin, an official at Victoria University, said: “I have attended many programs organized by foreign students in Victoria University but none of them reached the standard of program presented by the Saudi girls.”

Laila Faden and Batoul Al-Saif played a leadership role in the program supervised by Dr. Sattam Al-Otaibi, Saudi cultural attaché in New Zealand.

Fatma Fuhaida, Zainab Al-Hussein and Afnan Al-Ajlan spoke about outstanding Saudi women and their achievements.

They also highlighted the gains of Saudi girls in Wellington.

Fatma Al-Saif, Linda Al-Dadi, Manal Al-Nasser and Dhuha Al-Asheikh explained the traditions from the birth of a child until marriage while Narjis Al-Khabbaz, Maha Al-Fehaid, Batoul Al-Saif and Amani Ateef explained how Saudi mothers bring up their small children, singing songs, telling stories and reciting from the Holy Qur’an.

Zahra Al-Saif and Ameena Al-Yousuf presented on how Saudis welcome their guests and ensure their comfort.

More Saudi women traveling without male companions

A few years ago, it was not acceptable for a Saudi girl to travel abroad alone, and if she did, it was discreetly. This, however, is no longer the case.

Attitudes towards Saudi girls traveling on their own has undergone a substantial shift and now the number of young girls traveling without a male companion has remarkably increased.

A girl may have to travel on her own without a male relative for several reasons, said Saza al-Nasser, an employee in a private company in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

“Sometimes it is difficult for a girl and her accompanying male relative to have the same days off,” she said.
Some girls, she added, like to go through the experience of being abroad on their own to see how they would manage and how independent they can be.

“A girl who travels on her own also feels free and can go anywhere she wants like shopping and going out with friends without having to get the approval of that relative.”

Nasser called upon Saudi girls to try traveling on their own because it is bound to shape their personality.

“A girl becomes stronger and learns how to deal with emergencies when she has no one to help and arrange her life.”

Nasser pointed out that traveling abroad is easier than traveling within the country.

“The schedule of domestic trips is not as organized as what you have in foreign countries.”

For Saudi journalist Maisaa al-Amoudi, it is very normal for a Saudi girl to travel abroad alone.

“Now women are equal to men,” she said. “They have a career and this sometimes necessitates that they go abroad to attend conferences for example.”

Amoudi argued that traveling for shopping or sightseeing is not different than going abroad to work or study.
“A woman is a human being who has the right to lead a normal life exactly like a man.”

Depriving women from traveling on their own, she added, is because of the accumulation of social values that view such an action as unacceptable.

“It also implies lack of awareness of other people’s rights and this sometimes is taken too far it almost amounts to racism some times.”

Girls started traveling alone five years ago when the law allowing them to study abroad on their own was issued, said Mohamed Maghrabi, the general manager of a travel agency.

“This made it more acceptable for society and parents too gradually approved of their daughters traveling on their own,” he said.

Maghrabi added that the number of girls traveling alone is still small compared to men.

“The number of girls has so far increased by 15 percent and it is still going up every year.”

Regarding the most popular destinations for girls, Maghrabi said they usually prefer nearby countries.

“Most of them go to Dubai, Beirut, or Sharm al-Sheikh since they are all close, especially since the trip does not usually exceed five days.”