The maid's seven-day week-long life for Qatar's royal family and wealthy

The maid's seven-day week-long life for Qatar's royal family and wealthy

Qatar's human rights record comes under scrutiny with the World Cup in Doha. Much has been written about the treatment of migrant workers who built stadiums and hotels, but little about the foreign maids who work with Qatar's ruling classes. On paper, their rights have been strengthened in recent years - but the new rules are not always followed.

 I reach out to Gladys (not her real name) late at night, after her elite Qatari employers went to bed. In a short online conversation, she told me that she works from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. She cleans, helps prepare food and takes care of children. She eats the rest of the family's meals, and says she hasn't had a day off since she started 18 months ago.

Gladys, a Filipina woman in her forties, says of her employer: "Madam is crazy." "She yells at me every day." Before Qatar won the 2022 World Cup, foreign workers were unable to change jobs or leave the country without their employer's permission. This is still the case in most Gulf countries. Qatar has begun under scrutiny to introduce reforms, but Amnesty International says these reforms have failed to end a pattern of abuses faced by domestic workers. For example, Gladys' employer kept her passport, preventing her from leaving without his consent. But Gladys still feels lucky. At least she was allowed to keep her phone, unlike some other foreign maids. They are also not physically abused. She says this happens a lot in Qatar. There's another reason why she wants to stay at her current job – she thinks it's unlikely at her age to get a better job. She earns 1,500 riyals a month (just under £350) and can send her home to support her family.

Domestic Workers' Rights

There are an estimated 160,000 foreign domestic workers in Qatar, according to 2021 data from the Qatar Planning and Statistics Authority In 2017, Qatar introduced the Domestic Workers Law, which limits working hours to 10 hours a day, and requires daily breaks, a weekly day off, and paid vacations. In 2020, it also introduced a minimum wage and gave workers the right on paper to change jobs or leave the country without asking for permission. However, Amnesty International says these laws have not been properly implemented or enforced and that excessive work, lack of rest, and arbitrary and degrading treatment continue.

Joanna Concepcion of Grant International, a grassroots organization that supports overseas Filipino workers, says many are silent about poor working conditions because earning money for their families is their top priority. But she says that when those in the Gulf states feel confident enough to speak freely, they often cite serious violations. One woman said her employer would push her head into the toilet bowl and deprive her of food and water when he was angry.

By contrast, the maid hired by the ruling Al Thani family says she is treated well — but she doesn't have a day off, as all workers now have to under the new rules. Smiling and animated, Video Althea (not her real name) calls the BBC from the basement of a royal house. She explained that her employers had given her an iPhone, clothes, jewelry and shoes of the kind she could not afford in her home country in the Philippines. As in the case of Gladys, it was the difficulty of earning a living wage at home that brought her here. As we speak, other Filipina domestic workers, sharing a large room in Althea's living quarters, say hello and join the call.

They have their own bedrooms and a shared kitchen. It's important. The maids Althea seen on TikTok and Facebook begging for food, begging for someone to save them, are not so lucky. "I watch these videos on the internet all the time, which is why I feel so lucky," she says. "To me, every day feels like a fairy tale." However, it is hard work in the "Cinderella Palaces" as she points out, with its high ceilings and chandeliers, its gold-studded antiques, mother-of-pearl table tops, and freshly cut flowers. The day generally starts at 6:30 a.m., when employees prepare breakfast for the family. Althea eats as soon as the family is over. After evacuation, they clean the rooms and select places for lunch. "It's light work because there are so many of us," says Althea. Maids rest in their apartments between three and six in the evening, then prepare for dinner. Once dinner is over, Althea finishes her work, and is free to leave the complex if she wants to.

The royal family does not keep its passport. But Althea works every day, including weekends. She does not get the day off that Qatari law is now supposed to guarantee. It is a price she pays to provide her family with vital financial support. Marie-Grace Morales, a recruiter in Manila who marries Filipino employees with Gulf VIPs, says working at the palace is an "enviable" job. "The family is generous," she says. Reflecting the hardships maids may face in the house, she adds: "Girls gain weight while in the palace. The family feeds them well."

"The girls who were sent to work for the Qatari royal family are between the ages of 24 and 35 and are very beautiful," says Morales. Pause to look at the screen as I stare at it again from the BBC headquarters in London. "More beautiful than you," she said with a smile. She later sent WhatsApp to apologize, as her children heard and said that she was a. I assure her that I was not offended – nor do I recall that hiring people based on their appearance would be illegal in many countries.

Joanna Concepcion, of Grant International, says she hopes Althea's description of her work as a royal maid is correct, but adds: "It's unlikely we'll know for sure while she's in Qatar working for such a powerful family." Some members of the royal family complained after leaving the country. In 2019, three British and American workers – a bodyguard, a personal trainer and a private teacher – sued the prince's sister Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and her husband in New York, alleging they were forced to work long hours without interruption. Late, too late. The couple denied the allegations and settled down without any admission of responsibility. "Reporting and addressing cases of violence and harassment, lack of occupational safety and health, and lack of adequate housing can be difficult," says Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States.

The ILO says it is working with Qatar to implement the new rules that guarantee minimum wage, a day off each week, sick leave and overtime payments, although this remains a "challenge". Althea, in her royal palace, says she is happy despite the long working hours. When she goes to bed, she will send a message to one of her siblings or parents in the Philippines. She often feels homesick - fairy mansions are not home to her. However, it remains a crucial source of income. "I can never support my family without this job," she says. The BBC asked the Qatari royal family and the Qatari embassy in London for comment, but received no response.