Original publication date: 2015

...Given the critical relevance of the migrant domestic work sector within the region, and that migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are overwhelmingly exposed to exploitative living and working conditions, MAGNET has decided to conduct a qualitative study in Jordan on this topic.

Transforming employers’ attitudes and behaviour towards MDWs is a key step to securing the latter’s basic rights to decent work. Unfortunately, little research has been done in the Arab world on how employers recruit MDWs, the motivations behind their behavioural attitudes, and their knowledge of domestic workers’ rights.

This report presents the findings of a qualitative to identify key themes related to the recruitment of MDWs, employers’ knowledge of MDWs’ rights and their behavioural attitudes towards them, twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with employers and senior managers of recruitment agencies. A small focus group with senior managers of recruitment agencies was also conducted...