Agnes, a 27-year-old Nigerian domestic worker in Basra, Iraq, is suffering from severe abdominal pain after being raped at gunpoint by her boss and forced to undergo a painful abortion. She is one of many women caught in a transnational labour network that deceives African women into domestic servitude in Iraqi cities. Nigerian women are recruited by local agents who promise good pay and conditions abroad, but once in Iraq, they face exploitation, abuse, and harsh working conditions for minimal pay.
Many women, like Agnes, are subjected to inhumane treatment, including going days without food, physical violence, and lack of proper living quarters. Some also face sexual abuse and rape. The system of recruitment and exploitation of African domestic workers in Iraq has been described as a form of modern slavery. The women lack knowledge of their rights and are often targeted by deceptive agents who exploit their vulnerability and lack of information.
Agnes’s experience in Iraq turned into a nightmare, as she faced mistreatment, abuse, and abandonment by her employer after the rape. Despite her debilitating pain and refusal to work, the recruiting agency has refused to send her back to Nigeria and insists that she fulfill her contract. The agency’s hostel where she stays provides minimal food, but she lives in fear of further abuse and violence from the staff. The systemic exploitation and mistreatment of African domestic workers in Iraq highlights the prevalence of labor trafficking and human rights violations in the region.
The trafficking of Africans, including female domestic workers, is widespread in post-war Iraq, with an estimated 221,000 people in slavery-like conditions. African women face discrimination and exploitation, often falling victim to deceptive recruitment practices and abusive working conditions. The “kafala” system, legal in some countries like Lebanon, allows for the abuse of foreign workers by their employers, who use their documentation and travel costs as leverage to confiscate their passports and mistreat them.
Despite laws against labor trafficking, African domestic workers in Iraq continue to face exploitation and abuse. Nigerian authorities have been criticized for failing to regulate the industry and allowing women to travel to the Middle East for work without proper documentation or protection. The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has acknowledged the issue and is working to investigate cases like Agnes’s and Eniola’s, but repatriation efforts are challenging due to the lack of a Nigerian embassy in Iraq.
Eniola, another Nigerian domestic worker in Iraq, endured physical abuse and torture at the hands of her employer before escaping and seeking help from the authorities. Her case, along with Agnes’s, sheds light on the urgent need to address the exploitation of African domestic workers in Iraq and hold accountable those responsible for their mistreatment. The stories of Agnes and Eniola highlight the dire situation faced by many African women who seek opportunities abroad but end up trapped in exploitative and dangerous situations.
