The Gambia has recently seen a surge in the number of women travelling to Saudi Arabia to work as domestic workers, as part of a government initiative to strengthen ties with the Middle Eastern powerhouse. This move comes after an agreement was reached between the two countries during the 2023 Africa-Arab Summit to recruit both domestic and skilled workers from The Gambia to Saudi Arabia.
Outsource Recruitment Agency, a local firm that facilitates employment placements in Saudi Arabia, disclosed that 25 women departed for Saudi Arabia in February, with an additional four leaving last week. This trend is in line with Saudi Arabia’s increasing reliance on African nations, such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, for domestic labor, as reported by Bloomberg.
The demand for house staff, including maids, nannies, and drivers, in Saudi Arabia remains high, with domestic workers constituting over a quarter of the country’s total labor force. The agreements between the Gambian and Saudi governments include provisions for fair wages and appropriate working conditions for migrant workers.
Despite authorities promoting the $200 monthly starting salary for domestic workers in Saudi Arabia as fair, critics argue that it is insufficient and leaves workers susceptible to exploitation and abuse. Local recruitment agencies Gambjobs Limited and Outsource have registered a significant number of potential participants, but only a few have received their visas so far, with more applications in the processing stage through the Musaned digital recruitment platform.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have faced criticism for their treatment of migrant workers, primarily due to the kafala system, which grants employers extensive control over foreign workers’ legal status. This system has often resulted in restrictions on workers’ movement, withheld wages, and exploitative conditions, prompting international human rights organizations to denounce it as exploitative.
While some countries have previously suspended the deployment of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia due to reports of mistreatment, many Gambians continue to seek opportunities abroad. A survey conducted in 2024 revealed that nearly 70% of respondents expressed a desire to emigrate, highlighting the economic challenges in the country and the increasing dependence on remittances. In 2024, remittances from Gambians working overseas surpassed tourism revenue, becoming the country’s largest source of foreign exchange and contributing significantly to the nation’s GDP.
