Saudi Arabia

Population: 33 million
Christian: 4 percent
Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam
Persecution Ranking: 13

As the saying goes, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Women from Kenya and Uganda have learned that the hard way after responding to job offers in Saudi Arabia.

The job offer tells them that in two years of service, they can earn enough to buy a house, pay for their children’s education, and save money. This appeal is very tempting to women from these two countries, which have endured years of economic problems. On the surface, domestic jobs seem like safe, easy money.

What the advertisements don’t tell them is that they will be in a situation that is perfect for abusive employers. The employer can keep them from the public eye 24/7, essentially cutting them off from the outside world. In the past five years, the number of murdered Kenyan women has risen to 274. The number of deaths in 2024 was 55, double what it was the previous year. Others have been thrown from balconies, slashed with knives, starved, had their passports confiscated by employers, forced to drink urine, and raped. One woman was raped repeatedly and sent home pregnant without pay.

In theory, the Saudi government regulates the recruitment process. The Saudi Crown Prince chairs the UN Commission on Women’s Rights. In reality, these women are trapped in the kafala (sponsorship) system, which gives employers all rights over their employees. She cannot change jobs or return home if her employer is abusive.

The rich and powerful in Saudi Arabia and Kenya have a vested interest in allowing the abuse to continue. The Kenyan government wants foreign funds, and Kenya’s president would like 500,000 women to take these jobs. One of his top advisors owns a recruitment agency, and members of Saudi Arabia’s royal family also own such businesses. Beneath that level, there are employees at the Kenyan embassy in Riyadh who have no accountability if a Kenyan citizen comes to them for help. According to the New York Times, Kenya’s labor attaché has demanded sex from multiple women. Other times, he demanded they pay for their flight home by going into sex work. Instead of returning home with needed funds, African women return without pay, often injured, traumatized, or, in some cases, in coffins.

Let us pray fervently for:

  • Mercy and justice for exploited women in Saudi Arabia (The Bible, Psalm 28:2).
  • Accountability for those who use their power to exploit the innocent (The Bible, Proverbs 21:15).
  • The Lord to use the situation to bring the guilty to repentance and for many to understand their need for God’s work in their lives (The Bible, 2 Chronicles 6:37-39).

Sources:

New York Times. Why Maids Keep Dying in Saudi Arabia. March 16, 2025.

Who Owns Africa. Hidden Agony: African Maids in a Silent Abyss in Saudi Arabia. March 18, 2025.

Watan News. Trapped in Servitude: The Dark Reality of African Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia. March 18, 2025.

Freedom United. Saudi Arabia: domestic slavery, deaths, zero accountability. March 17, 2025.