Human Rights Violation 1: Dubai House Maid Refuses to Drive

IDsteve,

I was at the airport, waiting for boarding. I sat beside a young woman from the Philippines who was working as a house maid for an Emirati family in Dubai. She was on her way home—for good—because she refused her boss’ request to drive the family around Dubai. She did not have a license to do so, and did not feel safe doing so, but her boss didn’t care. He insisted, telling her not to worry about her (lack of) a license.

Knowing that she would be in serious trouble if caught driving without a license, the woman declined, to be greeted the following day with news that she was being taken back to the placement agency. Without anyone hearing her side of the story, she was sent directly to the airport, with a police escort, and her working visa was canceled. She was not paid her salary for the last month, not given any cash for things like food during her journey home, and wasn’t even given her luggage. Her boss also confiscated her cell phone, so as to wipe the record of any contacts the woman had in the Middle East. She was literally thrown out of Dubai with only the clothes on her back, all for refusing to drive without a license.

IDdubai: A Trip Back in Time…Finally!

IDsteve,

I had heard a lot about Dubai before I landed here for the first time. I had heard about the architecture, with buildings like the Burj al Arab being the talk of the architectural world. I had heard about the parties, with the hotels here housing some of the regions hottest and trendiest clubs. I had heard about the international nature, with expats living and working here from all corners of the world.

Dubai's Gold Souq

Dubai’s Gold Souq

One thing that was conspicuously absent from my preconceptions was any mention of anything actual traditionally Arabic. Any semblance to what the culture here was like before the 21st century—I mean, surely this place existed before 1995, didn’t it?

After a few days here, I realized that it was exactly what I had expected. Until I had the good fortune of stumbling across the Gold Souq in Deira. I had no desire to buy anything—most of the 300-some stalls here are selling jewelry mixed in with the occasional typical souvenir shop selling magnets and t-shirts graced with smiling camels. But walking through the halls of this semi-open air market made me feel, for the first time, that I was really in the Middle East. Of course I hadn’t been here before, but this made my mind flash back to ancient times, when Dubai was simply a trading village leveraging its strategic central location and proximity to waterways.

Dubai's Gold Souq

Dubai’s Gold Souq

Speaking of which, after making my way out of the Souq, I made my way to the water taxi to cross Dubai Creek. And that happened to be the perfect compliment to a stroll through the Souq, until I got to the other side and was met with glowing skyscrapers and whisked back into modern-day Dubai.

Water taxi across Dubai Creek

Water taxi across Dubai Creek