Agnes’s Struggle: An African Woman’s Ordeal in Iraq
When the agony strikes, 27-year-old Agnes, a Nigerian domestic worker, often finds herself needing to pause, battling waves of excruciating pain. It feels as if her insides are being pulled apart, making it challenging to bend or stand upright. Her suffering began in March in Basra, Iraq, where she was brutally raped by her employer at gunpoint.
A Nightmare Begins
Following this horrific incident, Agnes became pregnant, and her assailant compelled her to undergo a painful abortion, leaving her in agony that lasted for days. Since that ordeal, she has endured relentless abdominal pain, yet remains unable to seek medical help due to the lack of support and resources.
“I just want to go home and get treatment, but I can’t,” Agnes lamented during a phone interview from the hostel owned by the recruiting agency that brought her to Iraq. “My employer has refused to pay my salary. I haven’t had my period since the incident; I don’t know if I’m still pregnant. I just want to return home and understand what’s happening to me,” her voice trembling with emotion.
Al Jazeera chooses not to disclose Agnes’s real name out of concern for her safety amidst fears of retaliation from the recruiting agency’s staff. Agnes is among countless women deceived into enslavement within a transnational labor network, as noted by activists who highlight the plight of Nigerian women lured into domestic servitude in Iraq.
The Recruitment Trap
In Nigeria, women are often recruited by local agents who promise favorable pay and working conditions abroad. These agents process visas and earn approximately $500 for each woman sent abroad. Upon arrival in Iraq, women, referred to as “shagalas” (meaning “house worker” in Arabic), are made to sign contracts for two years with families or demanding establishments, where they frequently work over 20 hours daily for just $200 to $250 a month. Sadly, many of these women face degrading treatment, including extended periods without food, physical violence, and inadequate living conditions.
Agnes’s story reflects a grim reality; many women are also subjected to sexual abuse. While some incidents of severe mistreatment have emerged, they remain unverified, which further underscores the risks faced by these vulnerable women.
A Voice for the Voiceless
Damilola Adekola, a co-founder of the Hopes Haven Foundation, a Nigerian NGO dedicated to aiding women in peril, describes this situation as a form of modern slavery. “These agents and families often assert, ‘We bought you, so you must work.’ The contracts they’re made to sign violate international standards, offering no health care while demanding unreasonable working hours.”
Many of these women may lack awareness of the workplace standards they deserve because recruiters typically target women from rural areas who are often uninformed about the risks. “Even when they possess diplomas, they have little knowledge of the complex realities in post-war Iraq,” Adekola noted. “The allure of travel often prompts them to seize the opportunity without fully understanding the consequences.”
Pursuing a Better Life Gone Wrong
Originating from Ekiti, Nigeria, Agnes was working locally when she learned of an opportunity abroad. Trusting a family friend, she paid 100,000 naira (about $64), aiming to earn a significantly higher income to support her ailing mother and young son.
However, skyrocketing inflation in Nigeria has exacerbated economic distress, prompting many to leave in search of better opportunities. According to a recent report, over half of Nigeria’s population of 200 million desires to emigrate due to dire economic circumstances, looking towards Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
Agnes’s aspirations turned to despair upon her arrival in Iraq. Initially assigned to a household where she faced constant mistreatment—referred to as “dangerous work” without regular nourishment—she was ultimately returned to the agency after refusing to work under these conditions. In retaliation, staff members brutally assaulted her, resulting in visible injuries including a swollen face. Shortly thereafter, she was sent to another assignment where she would suffer the unimaginable trauma of being raped.
In Captivity, Yet Hoping for Escape
Now back in the agency’s hostel and destitute, Agnes’s health continues to deteriorate. Her former employer abandoned her without settling six months of unpaid wages, leaving her unable to work due to her debilitating pain.
“Had I known this country’s reality, I would have never come,” she revealed. “I thought I could come here to find work and earn some money. Please help me escape this hell.” Although she has a place to sleep and shared meals with other women in the hostel, fear looms as the agency refuses to repatriate her, insisting she must fulfill the remaining year of her contract despite her suffering.
“I have to tread carefully so as not to provoke the staff,” Agnes cautioned, sharing stories of women who have been punished with beatings or imprisonment due to complaints regarding their working conditions. While Al Jazeera reached out to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior for a statement on the agency, no response has been provided.
The Widespread Issue of Trafficking in the Middle East
Despite existing laws against labor trafficking, the phenomenon persists in post-war Iraq, a nation that both sources and hosts trafficking victims. A staggering 221,000 individuals currently live in conditions akin to slavery, as reported by the International Organization of Migration (IOM). Most documented victims hail from Iran and Indonesia.
The experiences of African female domestic workers remain largely undocumented, but they continue to face dire challenges rooted in systemic discrimination. Historical records reveal how Ugandan women were deceived into believing they would serve at U.S. military bases during the occupation, only to be “sold” into exploitative labor conditions.
The “kafala” system prevalent in some Middle Eastern countries exacerbates the issue, enabling employers to manipulate their workers through controlled documentation. Reports suggest that these systems not only facilitate abuse but also allow recruitment agencies to sell contracts at exorbitant prices.
Overall, there is a lack of clarity regarding how Iraqi authorities handle the agents who exploit and mistreat these women. Nevertheless, some cases, such as that of Eniola, a victim of severe abuse, have recently captured attention in Nigerian social media, leading to an investigation by Iraqi authorities.
The Need for Stricter Regulation and Support
Activists criticize Nigerian officials for their sluggish response in regulating the industry, allowing women to travel to the Middle East without adequate documentation or monitoring systems. Concerns have also surfaced about the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), with reports of corruption and negligence at airports facilitating exploitation.
The Hopes Haven Foundation argues for a structured support system to register and ensure the safety of women seeking work abroad. “Such a proactive approach could help monitor working conditions and deter potential abusers,” Adekola explained, emphasizing the necessity for governmental interventions.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has been investigating the exploitative recruitment practices with a focus on rogue agents. While Agnes’s and Eniola’s situations are under review, specifics regarding their repatriation remain uncertain as there is no Nigerian embassy in Iraq.
Stuck in Basra, Agnes remains hopeful for a way out, struggling with her deteriorating health. Fresh arrivals from Nigeria and Uganda have joined her at the hostel, their frightened expressions mirroring her own pain. “I just want to return home; I’m not okay,” she implored. “I’m barely alive. Please help me escape. I’m too young to die here.”
*Name altered to maintain anonymity
