Being a Khaddama: Narratives of home, belonging and identity for women domestic workers in the Gulf

Publications

Being a Khaddama: Narratives of home, belonging and identity for women domestic workers in the Gulf

Author : Dr Amal M Latif

Year : 2023

Publisher : Taylor and Francis Ltd.

Source Title : Asian Journal of Women's Studies

Document Type :

Abstract

With minimal access to legal protections, support, and exploitative conditions, Malayali women domestic workers in the Gulf struggle to forge meaningful connections and a sense of home in the UAE. This study aims to understand the experiences and perspectives of Malayali women, with a specific focus on the ways in which their idea of home and belonging are shaped by factors such as identity, diaspora, gender, and motherhood. The work also intends to comprehend how a sense of belonging helps the women to navigate through the sense of grief, guilt, and shame. Through their narratives, the article exposes how the migration of Malayali women domestic workers entail losing belonging, occupying liminal spaces, and relinquishing home.