THE AFRICAN Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has issued a strong condemnation of the ongoing abuse, trafficking, and violence faced by African migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Comrade Akhator Joel Odigie, ITUC-Africa calls for urgent action from both UAE authorities and African governments to protect their citizens.
The statement references a recent BBC investigative documentary titled: “Death in Dubai,” which it says exposes the brutal realities confronting African women lured to the UAE with false promises of employment.
According to ITUC-Africa, many of these women are subsequently kidnapped and trafficked into prostitution rings, forced into what the organisation describes as “degrading acts beyond comprehension.”
Highlighting a specific case, ITUC-Africa points to the tragic death of a young Ugandan woman in Dubai, a case where suspicions were raised after her death was hastily dismissed as a suicide by authorities.
The organisation alleged that the investigation revealed a pattern of UAE authorities and police “turning a blind eye – or being directly complicit” by refusing to act on clear evidence of these crimes.
According to the statement, these practices constitute “egregious breaches” of international law.
It reminds the UAE that it is bound by several international frameworks, including the International Labour Organisation’s Conventions on Migration for Employment (No. 97) and Migrant Workers (No. 143), the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers, and conventions against forced labour (No. 29 and No. 105).
The statement warns that by failing to enforce these protections, the UAE is undermining its international credibility and tarnishing its image as a modern hub of commerce.
“The practices exposed in the documentary; “Death in Dubai” constitute egregious breaches of these instruments. By failing to enforce protections, the UAE is undermining its own credibility, eroding international trust, and tarnishing its image as a supposed modern hub of commerce and innovation. No nation can aspire to global leadership while condoning – or ignoring – the systematic abuse of migrant workers.,” Odigie noted in the statement.
He issued a direct call to the UAE government to, among other things, immediately investigate and prosecute all perpetrators of trafficking and abuse, “including those benefitting from official protection;” ensure access to justice, remedy, and protection for migrant workers, particularly African women; reform recruitment and sponsorship systems that “enable modern-day slavery;” and engage transparently with trade unions and civil society to eliminate these abuses.
The Pan-African trade union body also calls on African governments, specifically mentioning Uganda, to take responsibility for protecting their citizens.
It urges them to “follow through with the investigative documentary” and “engineer more effective ways to protect” migrant workers, especially women travelling to the Middle East.
“The primary burden of care and protection lies with our African governments,” the statement stressed, urging the development of better in-country and foreign protection mechanisms for nationals working abroad.
Committing itself to monitoring the situation closely as it “will not hesitate to use the international instruments and tools at its disposal to force change,” ITUC-Africa stated that the global spotlight is now on the UAE, and a failure to act decisively will invite stronger international scrutiny and condemnation.
