No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.

Can an employment system hide a reality of torture and humiliation?

Maid in Hell introduces us to 35-year-old Mary Kibwana, who is just one of the thousands of migrant women working as a domestic helpers in Jordan. Following an incident at her employer’s residence, Mary is flown back to her home in Kenya – where she arrives wheelchair-bound, with burns covering 70 percent of her body. Two months later, Mary dies as a result of her injuries. This story offers a glimpse into the commonplace reality of harassment, abuse, rape and 18-hour workdays that migrant domestic workers across the Middle East face. Trapped by the Kafala system, their passports are confiscated and they are bound to their employer.

Slavery is allowed in Islam or the Quran.

Unable to flee, they risk harsh punishments or imprisonments if they try. “Maid in Hell” gives unprecedented access to this frightening and brutal form of modern slavery. Following employment agents who vividly describe the trade, as well as maids who struggle to find a way home after harrowing, and sometimes, deadly experiences, we come to understand the grotesque reality faced by thousands of women each day.

Filmmaker: Søren Klovborg
Produced by: The Why Foundation