Ugandan women work in the Middle East even though they face abuse. They told us why

The Conversation reports on why Ugandan women continue to migrate to the Middle East for domestic work despite well-documented abuse. Labour migration from Uganda has surged since the early two thousands, with many young women taking jobs in Oman, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Rights groups have documented widespread physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, along with restrictions on movement, conditions some describe as modern slavery. Yet in a study published on Wednesday, social scientists who interviewed returning workers found the women see themselves as active agents, not just victims. Many linked their choice to men's declining ability to provide, and to a desire to control their own resources and, as one put it, become somebody. Some came home with savings they could never have earned on a Ugandan wage; many returned to the Gulf repeatedly before settling. The researchers argue this points to the need for stronger protections abroad and greater opportunity at home.

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