Kuwaiti social media celebrity defends controversial remarks on Filipino workers

A Kuwaiti social-media influencer who was criticized over comments she made about Filipino domestic workers has defended her remarks. Sondos Alqattan had posted an Instagram video condemning new laws that give Filipino workers a day off per week and the right to keep their passports.

However, she has said that the outcry she received was “unjustified”, though she has since deleted the video.

Known for her make-up tutorials, Ms Alqattan has 2.3m Instagram followers.

“I have not [in] any circumstances in present or past… degraded or in any way mistreated an employee of mine,” she said in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

“I consider all employees as equal human being.”

Read her full statement:

Due to the spreading rumors it was only necessary to make a responsive clarification. The passport of any expat employee should be in the possession of the employer to protect the employers interest. Irrelevant of the employee/employer nationality.

We, employee/employer reside in the same house and consume, share the same food and work is shared around the premise and I don’t impose long working hours. on the contrary the working hours are flexible. In addition, resting hours are also never long and flexible.

As far as the four-day-a month off days. the condition differs from a household worker compared to a business worker. In comparison. many household employers don’t allow the worker any off-days even if the contract  specifies a certain number of off-days.

I have not, on any circumstances in the present or the past. have mistreated. degraded or in any way mistreated an employee of mine. And for that I consider all employees as equal human being with equal rights to that is of mine. However, only a worker with this kind of experience can express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. That said. it is also important to note that we are all people and people occasionally make mistakes. Speaking of this realty can unrest some people who did not go the same experience. But I feel that we are all equal humans. with equal right. and that we should attend to our duties and obligations. My ethical values will only be visible to those who have a direct experience with me. And I always make sure that every employee receives their full rights whether they fulfill their duties or not.

Although this inhuman reality occurs in many households, yet many would want to opportunity express that not all which appears to look as a good working condition is in-fact true.

I want to take the opportunity to thank all of those who said beautiful from the outside but not necessarily the same from the inside. Thank you for stating that I’m beautiful from the outside. and assure you that only when you meet me up close and personal that you can make a persona judgment about me as a human being or a person. The fact about l having the passport of an employee in the possession of the employer does not in anyway give an indication about a human being.  For that you can only ask each worker at a time.

This is her original Instragram post.