A recent study has warned against the dangerous effects of excessive dependence on foreign housemaids on national families, especially children. According to Gulf News, the study, which was released by the UAE’s Department of Childhood Centres in Sharjah, argued that the gigantic economic changes that the country had experienced since the oil boom had led to the emergence of some new social phenomena, such as the over-dependence on foreign domestic help in national homes.
It noted that the housemaids constitute a large segment of the expatriate labour, which represents over 70 per cent of the UAE population. It added: "The growing average income of the national family has enabled it to afford to hire one or more housemaids to run the house and look after the children even if the mother does not work. The maid's role has gradually replaced that of the parents as she takes care of the children's food, clothing, studying and other needs."
In a survey that included about 1,000 families from all over the UAE, over 65 per cent have admitted the social harm that results from the over-dependence on foreign maids. In addition, the research shows that national families are well aware of the negative effects of foreign maids on the children's culture, not only because they speak a different language, but because when they speak Arabic with their own accent, it sounds more like a distorted version, and contains foreign vocabulary. The study suggested replacing non-Arab maids with Arab ones, since the latter share the same language and culture with the people of the UAE. (Albawaba.com)
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