Too rich to care about other human beings
I was watching TV the other day, and I saw these Rahma (Mercy) commercials on UAE channels. They pretty much portray how rich successful Arabs treat their workers and maids.
Here are the samples in Arabic:
I wondered why these people were treated so badly and accepted it. Were they paying them too much and made them feel guilty for it? I didn’t know till last week when I saw a Facebook status comment from a girl I know who went to UAE. I am copying and pasting what wrote to her friend, “am really liking it here, it has changed so much, but definitely life is easier here … it costs 200 dollars to have a live in maid heheh but dining and entertaining is more expensive here than states. rent here is like NY, but most companies pay ur accommodation and they are tons of benefits ..”
What striked me was the cost for a maid that lives in the same house? $200? I am hoping to God that is a week. Can you imagine that being a month? Or even worse, a year? And the world complains about child labor and paying dirt to nothing wages to factory workers in 3rd world countries. Yet, Arabs, in one the richest oil countries in the world, with more money than they know what to do with, is paying that much? They are doing the same crap like everyone else. I was stunned, and thought no way that is true.
Moreover, my mom’s friend was talking about her daughter who moved to UAE, and she was here to give birth (typical). She was telling my mom that no worries about the baby and her daughter can go back to work right away. Why? Because she has a maid. I was like jeez, a girl who barely worked at Dairy Queen here and had to help out her family, went to UAE and got her dream come true – a maid!
I would never on earth have a maid, or someone doing the work I am supposed to do, and one that lives with you. Never! I would never under pay or undermine anyone for their efforts. I know how it feels, can you imagine them?
So you wonder why they have such commercials? Because it seems to be the trend! Disgusting!
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Nice Site layout for your blog. I am looking forward to reading more from you.
Tom Humes
The culture of rich people supressing the poor has always been there and will be there fore many many years and decades to come no doubt about that.
but, this has to stop and soon. else since the gap of the rich and poor is increasing day by day this may soon bring a big revolution.
I love love love this campaign and you wouldn’t imagine how true this situation is, so inhumane those “humans”! So many times I had the urge to go kick some man – woman in the face because of the abuse
In Lebanon it’s $100 USD per month.
I have lived a large part of my life in the UAE, so it’s good to read about an issue which has always been in the spotlight in the UAE media.
Let me clarify one thing though – the days of the $200 a month maid are over. The government has realised that there was a lot of abuse which took place and now you have to put down an insurance premium of $10,000 with the govt in case something happens to the maid. Also, they now have rights in terms of working hours and minimum pay and living condition. Also, a lot of people work as maids and house helpers because even $200 after everything else is provided for them converts to a good amount of money wherever they hail from (generally s.e.asia or the likes of indonesia, malasia or philipines).
HOWEVER! What they are subject to away from big brothers’ eyes is shocking! People still treat them as slaves, and exploitation is still rife. I do not see how regulation of any sort can replace the fear of being beaten up if the maid rats out. I was in Dubai over the summer and I found it shocking that at someones house, the maid was called to hand over a telephone handset which was no more than 10 feet away. Thats the tip of the iceberg, and I have read, and seen abuse of these maids in public, shopping malls etc – people see this, the cops see this.. and then they move on.
Human exploitation may no longer be defined as slavery in certain circumstances, but really – it is!
By the way, I’ve seen this in front of me, sadly, and tried a lot of time to warn them that what they’re doing to their maids in inhuman, but Gulfies just can’t help being rude to people!
In KSA, its sometimes even less than $200 monthly, we had one too, we paid her that much because that was the norm, but we treated her like a member of the family.
You only feel the power of those ads when you’ve witnessed every single thing that happened on them, in real life. Makes the hair on the back of your neck stand like crazy!
Sadly but true, it happens in a lot of countries across the world..if you were to ask me if I agree on this concept I would say no..I’ve seen a lot of shit like this happen in Lebanon to, these maids get taken for granted, however, I don’t think it’s another person’s fault as to why these people are “underpaid”, and are “maids” First of all, in Lebanon for instance, they are underpaid, but the majority of people I know that own maids give their maids more rights and freedom..hence, they drive cars, they wear nice clothing, so it substitutes the money issue..and the list could go on for extended reasons; maybe to them, the amount of money they are getting paid means a lot more to them then it means to us..Also, the majority of maids in Lebanon come from countries that have high poverty levels and the reason why these people leave their countries and work as maids is because they would prefer doing that and leaving their country as appose to staying in that country getting abused/ settling for prostitution and making no money…Thus, things way out different for everyone in given circumstances like this. I disagree with this though I think it degrades a human being, what’s wrong with people these days, can’t they just clean their houses…I spent more than half my life cleaning at home, and I will spend the rest of my life cleaning my future house; Also these Arabs think they are more authoritative because of the money they make…well They will all burn in hell for doing what they do…leave it to god!
I read an article this morning about child slaves that shocked and disgusted me. I can’t believe what is happening to children.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/28/child-maid-trafficking-sp_n_153814.html
I live in USA, we ended slavery in the 1800’s! Yea right! The temp services are nothing but slavery, these people are getting you a job and then get paid for nothing for it. The rich is always going to take advantage of the poor, they are just too greedy. The way things are going it is not going to stop soon.
@Erica
That’s horrible!
@adrian
As long as there are wealthy insensitive people in the world, then these problems will never go away.
Hey, I lived in Jordan for a while and even though the economic status of Jordan is considerably different than that of the UAE, SO many Jordanians had maids. And at best these maids were ignored and not even spoken to unless given orders. I have heard and witnessed so many stories of maids sleeping in closets and on bathroom floors, not being fed, not being allowed to call their families back home. Unfortunately, they make horribly small amounts of money, but these women feel like they have to do this kind of work to support their families back home, otherwise why would they put up with such sub-human treatment. I’m not saying all Jordanians treat their maids like garbage, but I have just seen one too many bad cases.
A few years ago, my uncle and i were selling smuggled oil and we happened to be near a luxurious Hotel and there was some kind of a party there and rich folks were flocking to the place. They drove with their very expensive cars. i noticed a beautiful women in one and i turned to my uncle and asked him: How do you think they see us? He said this and i will never forget it: They do not see us!
I’m from the UAE we have 4 maids three gardeners 2 drivers and one cook for international food and another for arabic food they get 2 days off every week for the maids and the drivers and the cook and the gardeners 3 days off. Yes we are filthy rich, our maids get free living quarters, free food, we pay their mobile phone bills, pay their hospital fees and pay them over 200$ worth of salary a month I can assure you. Don’t generalize I thought you were more sophisticated then that. There’s more to it. I’m pretty good with my maids, I clean my own room and get my own food. They help around with household chores, shopping, taking care of the children. My mother works 6 days a week, not because she wants too, because she has too. One of my maids said that she would rather stay here and work for free rather than go back to her native country where in her own words “I would starve to death”. So um yeah, they have it better here.
I’m not saying these things don’t happen they do! But not all of us treat our maids like we own them! my brothers and I for one appreciate the fact that they’ve come all the way from their own country leaving their family and friends behind to work here, my mother made sure of that..I remember getting slapped by friends mother because I told her she did not have the right to slap her maid and that I would tell my father who would call the police(lol, i was 8), she turned to look at me and said “You want one too” lol then I got slapped. Anyway it doesn’t always happen not in ALL households.
Galby 3awarny walla!
I have to admit we Gulfies have a huge ego issue, we think we’re better than everyone else! And treat people like they’re nothing I hate that mentality!! This obsession with money and class! GOD! But not all are the same! I would NEVER do that to anyone no matter who they are. This is appalling